Kenya Greenlights Use of China’s Sinopharm COVID-19 Vaccine

Kenyans will soon be able to access China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine after the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) approved its use in the country.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) confirmed the approval saying the move comes after China declared interest in supplying Kenya with coronavirus vaccines in February this year.

Acting Health Director-General, Dr Patrick Amoth, had earlier indicated that Kenya was in negotiations with China.

“We have approved Sinopharm vaccine. We will be having five different vaccines in the country very soon,” an official told media outlets.

Dr Willis Akhwale, Kenya’s vaccine advisory taskforce chair, noted that: “Our goal is to flood this country with a variety of WHO-approved vaccines as we target to inoculate 10 million people by December.”

Sinopharm has been granted emergency use by the World Health Organization to boost ongoing inoculation against the virus.

“Kenya has approved Sinopharm. We have confidence in its efficacy since it has been certified by WHO,” said Akhwale.