AU report says vaccines from Kenyan firm, Kevevapi, are contaminated

A Kenyan based animal medicine manufacturer Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) has been accused of manufacturing contaminated drugs by the African Union.

The report by the Pan African Vaccine Centre, details the level of contamination of many of the products released by KEVEVAPI over the time period assessed by the report.

In the recent past, KEVEVAPI has been facing problems compounded by other reports that came out in September 2018, which suggested that President Uhuru Kenyatta, was fooled by the same institute to launch contaminated vaccines worth Kenya Shillings 92 million.

This came against a backdrop of a grant of Kenya Shillings 200 million, given by the Government of Kenya, to KEVEVAPI for producing vaccines for a range of Animal diseases, including Foot and Mouth, Contagious Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia (CBPP), Lumpy Skin Disease, Contagious Caprine Pleuro-pneumonia (CCPP), Peste de Petits Ruminants (PPR), Sheep and Goat Pox (S&GP), and Newcastle Disease (NCD).

The report indicates that “KEVEVAPI received a grant of KSh 200 million vide A.I.E serial No A741283 dated 23.08.2016 and Ref No D002806-011205-V2/2014/15 from Treasury through State Department of Livestock, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Development Vote.”

In addition, “all the 430,000 doses of vaccine expired with the institution losing about KSh 92,450,000. In addition, the institution suffered losses worth KSh 78 million due to contamination of vaccines. Disposal was not done as per the disposal Act 2015,” the report states.

In spite of failing quality control tests, KEVEVAPI continued to release the drugs on to the market.

There is a concern that Kenya’s veterinary practitioners shall shun the products from KEVEVAPI until their quality issues are addressed.