Why Kenya Is Yet to Approve World's First COVID-19 Vaccine
The board noted that the world's first COVID-19 vaccine dubbed the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was yet to be approved for use in the nation.
Marvin Chege 
The Kenya Pharmacy and Poisons Board has issued a statement regarding the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the country.
The board noted that the world's first COVID-19 vaccine dubbed the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was yet to be approved for use in the nation.
They added that both Pfizer and China's Sinovac vaccines are still being evaluated.
"PPB Kenya's role is the authorization and safety monitoring of medicines and health technologies. It’s the duty of the Ministry of Health as guided by the National Vaccine and immunization program to determine what vaccine to buy based on factors, such as cost and cold chain considerations," the Board stated.
The board had also confirmed that Russia's Sputnik V vaccine had been approved for emergency use in the country, backing up a previous statement on the same by the Russian embassy.
The drug had met all the requirements set for it to be used in the country but added that the approval did not amount to registration.
"In reviewing the Sputnik V vaccine, PPB Kenya considered all aspects of quality, safety, and efficacy. It is wholesomely safe. The Board continues to review the safety of all authorized products in the market," the statement read in part.
The vaccine is believed to have an efficacy level of about 92 percent and is the first such private consignment in Kenya.
For maximum effectiveness, the vaccine will be administered in two doses where one dose will go for Ksh5,500 per dose, a total of Ksh11,000 for the two jabs to be administered 21 days apart.
The doses will be booked and paid upon confirmation of the order and the minimum order per facility is 25 doses for the first dose coded in blue and purple boxes and 25 doses for the second dose coded in red and violet boxes.
The vaccine doses are stored at a temperature of -18 degrees celsius where after defrosting, it must be administered within two hours.
