The East African Regional Graduate Health Sciences Summit (EARGHSS 2025), held in Mombasa, provided a platform for discussions on advancing health sciences and fostering regional collaboration. Among the highlights was a presentation by Hon. Dr. Swarup Ranjan Mishra, Chair of the Board of Directors at Kenya BioVax Institute Limited, who detailed the Institute’s pivotal contributions to local vaccine manufacturing. He outlined efforts to secure World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification and scale production to address both regional and global vaccine demands, emphasizing the importance of strategic partnerships and innovation in bridging gaps in vaccine equity and strengthening health systems across Africa.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Deborah Barasa, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, linked the symposium’s themes to the ambitious goals of Agenda 2063, Africa’s socio-economic blueprint. She highlighted the critical role of local manufacturing in fostering self-reliance, unlocking domestic resources, and building resilient health systems. Dr. Barasa emphasized the need to optimize scarce resources through strategic investments, leverage digital infrastructure for efficiency, and prioritize universal healthcare as a cornerstone of sustainable development.
By aligning with these principles of localization and innovation, Kenya BioVax was recognized as a key contributor to achieving health equity and driving socio-economic transformation across the continent.