Ruto calls for African vaccine self-sufficiency as Kenya joins International Vaccine Institute

President William Ruto has called on African countries to become self-sufficient in vaccine production and reduce reliance on external sources.

Speaking on Wednesday during the accession ceremony of Kenya to the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in Seoul, South Korea, Ruto stressed the importance of Pan-African solidarity, saying that true safety in health can only be achieved when everyone has access to vaccines, regardless of nationality or status.

“The time has come, therefore, for Africa to actualise health sovereignty by liberating itself from dependency on unsustainable frameworks, and accelerating initiatives to become self-sufficient in vaccine production,” Ruto said.

“A fundamental value of Pan-African solidarity is that no one is free until all people are free. In vaccine production and supply terms, no one is safe until everyone is safe. Making vaccines universally accessible to all our people, regardless of nationality and status, is an urgent imperative that we must respond to without hesitation.”

He reaffirmed Kenya's dedication to partnering with key health organisations to enhance the country's readiness for future health crises.

Collaborations

Ruto hailed Kenya's collaboration with the African Union Commission, Africa CDC, the African Medicines Agency, the World Health Organisation and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI).

Presidnet William Ruto holds the Kenyan flag during the accession ceremony of Kenya at the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) headquarters in Seoul, South Korea on June 5, 2024. (Photo: PCS)

He said the partnerships are aimed at achieving substantial improvements in the continent's health emergency response capabilities, ensuring a proactive approach to safeguarding public health.

“We are proud to maintain a strong commitment to working with these partners. We have every intention and are taking effective measures, to prepare Kenya and Africa for future outbreaks, epidemics, pandemics and other health emergencies by translating this commitment into tangible results within a very short time,” he said.

"Increased vaccine availability will enhance the delivery of our primary healthcare and disease prevention."

As Kenya formally joins the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) as a Member State, Ruto noted that self-sufficiency in vaccine supply will ensure a sustainable supply for the primary immunisation programmes, fulfilling the Universal Health Coverage (UHC), an objective of his administration's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

“As Kenya graduates from dependency on donor support for the supply of routine vaccines to support primary immunisation programmes, the partnership and collaboration, whose successful culmination we are witnessing here today, will guarantee sustainable self-sufficiency in the supply of these commodities. This will go a long way in fulfilling a fundamental objective of the UHC strategic pillar of our Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” he said.

He expressed optimism about the IVI partnership's ambitious goals adding that the establishment of the IVI Country and Project Office in Nairobi signifies the country’s commitment to accelerating progress in UHC and promoting African self-sufficiency in healthcare.

“We cherish this partnership and embrace its ambitious goals. Under this partnership, we will strive to strengthen our health systems by assuring commodity security through research, development and manufacturing. I believe in our collective ability to achieve even greater things,” he said.