On the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale held a bilateral meeting with Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), to explore strategic partnerships aimed at advancing vaccine research, development, and manufacturing in Africa.
Hon. Duale reaffirmed Kenya’s ambition to become a regional hub for vaccine production, proposing collaboration under the Africa Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator (AVMA) and Africa Vaccine Expertise Collaboration (AVEC).
Kenya aims to co-develop at least two proposals with IVI by the end of 2025, targeting vaccines for endemic diseases like Rift Valley Fever, Chikungunya, and Dengue.
He also proposed the establishment of a Regional Biomanufacturing Workforce Development Centre of Excellence and called for expanded Kenyan participation in IVI’s Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing.
The two parties discussed fast-tracking collaborative actions following the finalization of the Host Country Agreement, including joint missions and technical secondments.
The meeting underscores Kenya’s proactive push to build a resilient vaccine ecosystem through innovation, training, and strategic international partnerships.
