Africa Centres for Disease Control(CDC) has asked the Ministry of Health to allow the private sector to import Covid-19 vaccines.
According to CDC’s Deputy Director Dr. Ahmed Ogwell, private sector can vaccinate at least 30 per cent of Kenyans by the end of next year.
However, he said there will be a need of good frameworks developed by the government.
“…so it is important to vet who imports the vaccine. Having a lot of money is not the criteria for who is first on the queue for importation. It’s important that only genuine private sector get vaccination licence, but through well-established government mechanism,” he said.
He noted that vaccines purchased outside the well- established pathways can open the chance for spurious products.
According Ogwell, the Covax mechanism that Kenya is relying on can only cover 30 per cent of the population by the end of next year adding that the remaining 30 per cent can only be covered with the involvement of the private sector.
He added that Africa is at the tail end of receiving vaccines since by May 18 the entire of Africa had imported 38 million doses of different types of Covid vaccines and out of these 38, only 22 million doses have been utilised.
Once the government allows, Ogwell said private facilities can import through the AU’s Covid-19 African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (Avatt).
He noted that Avatt is not mandated to sell directly to the private sector, but they will facilitate the private sector to buy vaccines so as to reach 60 per cent target.
Africa Health Business director Amit Thakker said they are already discussing with the Health Ministry to allow private importation.
“This is the largest test for the private sector. Africa is getting only one per cent of vaccines and we are in problems because the factory of the world, India, is in problems. Covax will give 30 per cent by next year. The private sector should give another 30 per cent,” he said.
On April this year, Health Ministry banned private importation of Covid-19 vaccines after one firm brought in Sputnik V.
The country’s vaccination plan aims to cover 60 per cent of the population by the end of next year and only about one million people have been vaccinated.