A private company that imported the Russian-made Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine into Kenya is seeking to re-export the jabs following a ban by the government.
The Health Ministry prohibited the importation, distribution, and administration of COVID-19 vaccines by private entities citing a lack of transparency and accountability in the process.
By the time the ministry announced the ban on April 2nd, Dinlas Pharma EPZ Limited had shipped in a total of 75,000 Sputnik V doses, out of which only 527 had been utilized.
The company has written to the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) seeking approval to export 73,946 Sputnik V vaccine doses out of the country. The drug regulator directed the company to reserve second doses for those who had received the first shot.
“PPB is in receipt of a notice of intent to re-export of the vaccine from Kenya but the company is in the process of officially applying but the board has received the letter intently. They have to apply, there is a procedure for exportation of medicines,” Dominic Kariuki, the Deputy Director in charge of Inspectorate on Surveillance and Enforcement at PPB told the Senate Health Committee on Thursday.
A single shot of the Sputnik V vaccine, which has an efficacy rate of 92 percent, was going for about Sh8,000.
Deputy President William Ruto and his family, and lawyers Ahmednassir Abdullahi and Donald Kipkorir were among prominent personalities who were inoculated with the Russian vaccine whose importation was marred by controversy.
I thought Kenya’s bloated…
I thought Kenya’s bloated govt and huge number of representatives were help the country of hungry billionaires produce her own vaccines and AIDs/HIV medicines.The country has equal/more or around the same number of MPs and governors like India,US,UK and Russia.I even heard Mwangangi direct USAID to supply ARVs through KEPSA,the corrupt govt agency which has not accounted for shs 58b COVID fund.
This vaccine has NOT been…
This vaccine has NOT been approved by WHO .There is a difference between taking anything to stay alive and medicine. Some people were set to make a lot of money and it was a good move by the Kenya government nothing like taking Clorox disguised as a vaccine . Now ensure it is re-exported somewhere and does not end up on River Road to be sold in the black market