Moderna to Build Vaccine Facility in Kenya

Kenya has signed a deal with US biotechnology company, Moderna Inc, to build a vaccine manufacturing facility in the country.

The facility if expected to produce up to 500 million doses of vaccines annually.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta ‘witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on Monday between his country and Moderna in the capital Nairobi.’

The new facility will help solve the problem of vaccine inequity experienced across Africa, which has not received its fair share of COVID-19 vaccines.

“We are celebrating one of the greatest things that have possibly happened since the onset of COVID-19 on the African continent,” Kenyatta said, pointing out that African countries faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted that the challenges were not because of a lack of finances to purchase the vaccines but because the vaccines were not available for them to purchase.

“The deal has been hailed as one that will help solve vaccine access in the current coronavirus pandemic and in future pandemics.” 

Moderna anticipates to invest more than $500m, £380m in the facility.

BBC/Christopher Ojilere