Nanyuki hospital to begin administering Sputnik V vaccine
A medical staffer injects a Covid-19 vaccine into a man's arm.
Nanyuki Cottage Hospital in Laikipia County says it will start administering the Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine to members of the public tomorrow.
The facility's chief executive officer, Dr Anup Das, told Nation.Africa through distributors who imported it from Russia after the Pharmacy and Poisons Board issued the greenlight.
Nanyuki Cottage Hospital CEO Anup Das.
Dr Anup said the facility will start administering the vaccine to members of the public tomorrow (Thursday) from a cost of Sh8,000.
"On March 9, 2021, we got an emergency authorisation from the Pharmacy and Poisons Board for private use. The dose arrived in the country and underwent necessary documentation," Dr Anup said.
He made the clarification after a section of Kenyans questioned why the facility was kick-starting the process of administering the drug.
"Well, the vaccine has a cost to it because it is not donated under any programme, but directly procured from a firm in Russia. We incurred the cost of purchasing, shipping and maintenance of proper storage. There is a huge cost of logistics. We will administer each dose at around Sh8,000 and Sh9,000," the hospital boss said.
He said the government, however, directed the facility not to sell the vaccine that is being rolled out countrywide by the Ministry of Health.
"We do not intend to charge for the vaccine that is being administered by the government (AstraZeneca). The one we have is Sputnik V from Russia," Mr Anup said.
The facility becomes the first in the Central Kenya region to start administering the dose.
Sputnik V is a coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology in Russia.
