SPEECH BY THE CEO/DIRECTOR GENERAL, DR MICHAEL LUSIOLA, DURING THE VISIT BY THE WORLD BANK VICE PRESIDENT FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, MS MAMTA MURTHI, AT KBI HQ, ON WEDNESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY 2024, AT 2.30 PM
The Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank, Ms. Mamta Murthi
Principal Secretary State Department for Medical Services, Ministry of Health, Hon Harry Kimutai
Distinguished guests
Members of staff
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good afternoon, and welcome to Kenya Biovax Institute. Today marks an extraordinary day for Kenya and the Biovax family as we host the Vice President for Human Development at the World Bank, Ms Mamta Murthi.
Madam Vice President and distinguished guests here with us, please receive a hearty welcome from BioVax, big and warm enough to encompass you all! To say we are thrilled to see you is an understatement.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Vaccines save 2-3 million lives yearly, and millions more are protected from disease and disability, yet Africa mainly relies on other world regions for lifesaving vaccines. Only one per cent of the vaccines administered in Africa are produced locally. That gap implies that African vaccine manufacturing has an opportunity to expand radically. The establishment of local manufacturing capacity will not only improve the access, security and sustainability of vaccine supply but will have a great socioeconomic effect in Africa.
Kenya Biovax has a vision to support global public health agenda of a world free from vaccine preventable diseases and we are supporting our country’s health sector in implementing the global commitment of SDG 3 of ‘Good Health and Wellbeing,’.
We have a strategic focus to embrace local, regional and global partnerships to achieve our mission “ to manufacture and commercialize safe, effective , quality vaccines and other health products and technologies and improve access to affordable healthcare.
Madam Vice President, we are cognizant that establishing capacity for vaccine manufacturing requires heavy capital investment and commitment from key stakeholders and collaborators. Your presence with us at Kenya Biovax is a clear demonstration of the World Bank Group’s commitment to supporting Kenya’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage, aligning with the World Bank’s global health, nutrition, and population strategy. We look forward to a constructive, fruitful and long-term collaboration with the World Bank Group.
Finally, Ladies and Gentlemen it my humble pleasure to invite the Principal Secretary Department for Medical Services Hon. Harry Kimutai.
Karibu!
MICHAEL LUSIOLA
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER/ DIRECTOR GENERAL