The Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board has approved emergency use of Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use.
The drug regulatory agency noted that the decision to approve the vaccine alongside AstraZeneca was arrived at after a successful evaluation process. The Board was however quick to point out that the emergency authorization was not a registration of the vaccine.
“The application for Emergency Use Authorization of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine has been approved after it met all requirements,” the authority disclosed this through a notice on yesterday.
The approval comes barely two weeks after the government launched a nationwide vaccination drive for AstraZeneca vaccine whose efficiency has been questioned by experts leading to suspension by several countries in Europe. South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also paused its use.
On Wednesday, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board said it had approved Sputnik V vaccine.
The board also warned “Note: this is not a registration.”
On whether Kenya plans to purchase the vaccine, the board said, “The Pharmacy and Poisons Board role is the authorization and safety monitoring of medicines and health technologies. It’s the duty of the Ministry of Health as guided by the National Vaccine and immunization programme to determine what vaccine (s) to buy based on factors, such as, cost and cold chain considerations.”
The medicine regulator’s proclamation comes just days after the Russian Direct Investment Fund RDIF, announced the approval of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus in the Republic of Kenya.
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi noted that for a vaccine to have received Emergency Use Authorization, it is required to have undergone stringent mechanisms that the PPB recognizes and accredits.
“Sputnik file shows it is being used in many countries across the world meaning it has undergone through the SRA mechanisms.” She said
With the approval, the CAS disclosed that there are two other vaccine candidates alongside Sputnik V that have applied to the Poisons board to get Emergency Market Authorization.
Russia has developed three vaccines; Sputnik V, EpiVacCorona and CoviVac, though most of the attention has focused on Sputnik, named after the first satellite launched into space by the Soviet Union.
According to the Fund, Sputnik ranks second among coronavirus vaccines globally in terms of the number of approvals issued by government regulators.
Currently, Kenya is using the AstraZeneca vaccine which has an efficacy of 62 per cent and over 40,000 Kenyans have so far received the jab.