Why Kenyan government won’t seize banned Russian vaccine

The Ministry of Health (MoH) will not seize or destroy the consignment of Sputnik V vaccine that is already in the country.

According to a senior MoH official who sought anonymity, it is up to the importers to choose what to do with their consignment.

Licences revoked 

"Our guidelines on recall of health products only apply when it is MoH that has placed the order and brought in the health product, and we did not in this case. The consignment is not sitting in any of the government stores. It is upon them to destroy, burn or take it elsewhere for sale because the only demand we have is that they should not vaccinate anyone using Sputnik V as it would be in contravention of the Public Health Act," the official explained.

Last Friday, the government banned the importation, distribution and administration of vaccines by the private sector, citing transparency concerns.

The private sector was clearly told that it will therefore not receive any form of licensing to allow them to vaccinate people in the country.

The existing licences of operation were also revoked last week.

"There will be no licensing of private players in the importation of vaccines and any such licence given will be and is hereby terminated.

“The only agent for vaccination in the country will remain the government of the republic of Kenya until further notice," Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said.

He further warned that anyone offering Covid-19 vaccines at a fee contravenes Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) regulations and risks prosecution. "The participation of the private sector in the vaccination exercise now threatens the gains made in the fight against Covid-19 across the country," he added.

On March 24 via its Twitter handle as the Nation had earlier reported, PPB said it had given Emergency Use Authorisation to Sputnik V vaccine after a successful evaluation and after it met all the requirements. The poisons board also said any company planning to import Covid-19 vaccines had to sign an indemnity agreement before being cleared.

Meanwhile, Rarieda MP Amollo told the Nation on Monday that PPB was yet to respond to him on issues he raised in an official letter concerning the importation and distribution of Sputnik V vaccine.