Kenya has stepped up efforts to become the region’s vaccine manufacturing hub after the government gave the green light for the disbursement of an initial Sh100 to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).

The disbursement will facilitate the recruitment of the first cohort of students in vaccine manufacturing who will include highly talented graduating students from local universities competitively recruited to join KEMRI for the programme.

And as part of the curriculum, the trainees will be attached to vaccine manufacturing companies in Europe, South Korea and Japan for practical exposure.

Yesterday, KEMRI acting Director General Elijah Songok revealed that the programme will also recruit Kenya post-doctoral fellows from the diaspora to work with the institution to carry out research and development projects under the institution’s scientists on vaccine development.

“We have a very highly talented team of Kenyans out there in the USA, Canada, Europe among others who are completing or have completed their PhD programmes in vaccine and drug research that KEMRI will be reaching out to,” he said.