Egypt, Kenya discuss boosting African vaccine, drug manufacturing

Egypt and Kenya discussed expanding cooperation in healthcare and strengthening pharmaceutical security across Africa, focusing on local manufacturing of medicines and vaccines, reducing reliance on imports, and increasing the exchange of medical expertise.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population said Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar met his Kenyan counterpart, Aden Bare Duale, to explore opportunities for bilateral cooperation in public health, pharmaceuticals, and medical tourism.

Abdel Ghaffar highlighted the strong ties between the two countries and stressed the importance of adopting the “One Health” approach to address health challenges arising from climate change and their impact on human, animal, and environmental health.

The two ministers discussed supporting African pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing and strengthening the African Pooled Procurement Mechanism (APPM) to ensure access to safe, high-quality medical products across the continent.

The Egyptian minister said the Egyptian Drug Authority had achieved World Health Organization Maturity Level 3 status and was progressing towards Level 4, reinforcing Egypt’s position as one of Africa’s leading pharmaceutical regulatory systems.

He also called for a joint business forum bringing together pharmaceutical companies from both countries to explore investment and partnership opportunities.

Abdel Ghaffar highlighted Egypt’s Vaccine City and Biotechnology Project, which he said aims to meet around 22% of Africa’s vaccine needs, with an annual production capacity of up to 160 million doses.

He further stressed the importance of cooperation between Kenya’s BioVax and Egypt’s VACSERA in technology transfer and expanding local manufacturing capabilities.

The discussions also covered cooperation in tackling rare diseases and sharing successful healthcare experiences. Abdel Ghaffar reviewed Egypt’s experience in eliminating hepatitis C, as well as its early detection and cancer treatment programmes.

The two sides explored opportunities to benefit from Egypt’s universal health insurance system and exchange medical expertise and personnel, particularly in oncology, bone marrow transplantation, and paediatric care.

In the field of medical tourism, the Egyptian minister announced the launch of the “Tour n’ Cure” platform to attract African patients and called for coordination with private hospitals to broaden the treatment options available to Kenyan patients.

The visit concluded with a tour of Egypt’s Emergency and Crisis Management Centre, while Abdel Ghaffar invited his Kenyan counterpart to visit the New Administrative Capital Hospital to gain first-hand insight into Egypt’s healthcare system.