KEMRI Reaps President Ruto’s South Korea Benefits

President William Ruto, and his entourage including Cabinet Secretary,Ministry of Health Nakhumicha S Wafula, Chairman KEMRI Board of Directors, Dr. Abdulahi Ali and Ag. DG KEMRI Prof. Elijah Songok, among others pose for a photograph with IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim and his team.

The Institute is one of the major beneficiaries of President, Dr. William Ruto’s recent tour of duty in South Korea where the Kenya government put pen-to-paper on multi-million shillings deals.

Thanks to the 2nd, June 2024 Korea-Africa Summit, Seoul tour, KEMRI now joins the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) to advance its vaccine manufacturing goals as a major player on the continent.

*IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim sharing a light moment with the President as KEMRI Ag DG Prof. Elijah Songok listens in.*

*President William Ruto making his presentation during the Kenya IVI Accession Ceremony.*

KEMRI has enjoyed cordial partnership with IVI following the COVID-19 pandemic in areas of capacity building and Research Development that has seen three scientists trained on vaccine manufacturing. This was followed by a public lecture in KEMRI by IVI Director General Dr. Jerome Kim at KEMRI Headquarters last year.

The visit by President Ruto to IVI is set to strengthen the ties between KEMRI and IVI. IVI a UN body is expected to set up a physical office known as Advancing Vaccine End to End Capabilities (AVEC) in Kenya besides the IVI office in Rwanda. AVEC office which will be situated in KEMRI will strengthen clinical trial sites that will be recognized globally, besides the partnership is expected to enhance research and development from surveillance, and prototype of vaccines to manufacturing which is referred to as end-to-end vaccine manufacturing unlike previously where partnership involved finish to end. Further, the visit by the President will birth more funding from IVI to KEMRI for scientists in research and vaccine trials, training of scientists in areas of post-doc, and will also see KEMRI Graduate school train other scientists within Africa.

Speaking during the visit, the President who was accompanied by KEMRIs Board of Directors Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ali and Ag. DG Prof. Elijah Songok to the IVI Accession ceremony and later to the Korea National Cancer Centre said the Memoranda of Understanding would deepen partnerships and collaboration in health, and assist in achieving the government’s goal of Universal Health Care (UHC).

Reflecting on the visit, Dr. Abdullahi said, “I want to thank the President for recognizing KEMRI for having capacity in areas of Biotechnology and local manufacturing. We have accompanied the president to four countries to forge partnerships for the institute. We went to Belgium where KEMRI was incorporated in MRAN technology in biomanufacturing by Unizima, Japan for vaccine manufacturing construction, the USA where KEMRI renewed its partnership with CDC, and last week Korea where we strengthened its partnership with IVI”.

President William Ruto at IVI Headquarters in Seoul where he was accompanied CS Nakhumicha S. Wafula, Chair, KEMRI Board of Directors, Dr. Abdullahi Ali and Ag. DG KEMRI, Prof. Elijah Songok among others.

The Chairman’s views were echoed by Prof. Songok during an interview with the KEMRI Bulletin reporter on his return where he hailed the move by the President citing that it will propel the country’s goal in vaccine development and manufacturing.

“This is a critical partnership as we are going to be recognized as a vaccine manufacturer in terms of supporting research for vaccines, and I call for collaboration from the KEMRI fraternity so that we attain the country’s goal of Universal Health Care” Prof .Songok said.

Also present during the visit in Korea was the Head of Innovation and Technology Transfer Division (ITTD) Dr. James Kimotho and Kenya Biovax CEO Dr. Michael Lusiola.