The Kenya Institute of Primate Research (KIPRE), has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing research, innovation, and local manufacturing in the health sector.
Principal Secretary for Public Health Mary Muthoni expressed for the government’s continued support for health research and innovation initiatives.
PS Muthoni highlighted urgent need to increase investment in research and development of health products and technologies. She noted that such investment is essential for achieving universal health coverage and ensuring that critical medical products are developed through robust local research.
On his part the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Institute of Primate Research Dr. Gichuhi Mwethera alluded that one of the highlighted public health challenges is snakebite envenoming, which affects over 20,000 Kenyans annually, resulting in approximately 8,000 permanent disfigurements and 4,000 deaths. He noted that the efficacy of current antivenoms, mainly imported from Europe and India, has been limited as they are not developed using Kenyan snake venoms.
Dr. Mwethera noted that through advanced scientific research, KIPRE is addressing this challenge by developing Kenya’s first locally manufactured antivenom, tailored to local snake species to enhance effectiveness. The government has invested significant resources in this groundbreaking project, and the first batch of the locally produced antivenom is expected to be available before the end of the year. This milestone is anticipated to avert many deaths and disabilities associated with snakebites.
Currently, Kenya consumes about 100,000 vials of antivenom annually, though many snakebite cases remain unreported due to limited public awareness. KIPRE is integrating educational initiatives with community health promoters to raise awareness and improve response to snakebite incidents.
Beyond antivenom production, KIPRE is at the forefront of advancing local manufacturing capacity for vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and biologics. The institute emphasizes strong partnerships with academia and industry to support technology transfer, regulatory compliance, and the establishment of end-to-end quality systems.
There is also a growing need for the expansion of biobanking, and for research into cell and gene therapies and precision medicine, implemented ethically and sustainably. KIPRE further highlights the importance of digital health innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence and data analytics for informed decision-making, health system forecasting, imaging, triage, and supply chain management. The development of interoperable and secure digital health platforms is vital to guide policy, improve service delivery, and ensure equity and privacy.
Addressing the health impacts of climate change—such as heat stress, poor air quality, altered vector ecology, droughts, and floods—was also emphasized. This calls for the development of climate-resilient health facilities and climate-informed surveillance systems to safeguard communities.
For research and innovation to truly transform lives, stakeholders agreed that the research ecosystem must be strengthened through ethical and inclusive practices, protection of data, community engagement, and broad representation across devolved functions, genders, ages, and vulnerable populations. Respect for indigenous knowledge and continuous capacity building through postgraduate training, technical fellowships, and professional development were identified as key enablers of sustainable progress.
Finally, the importance of adequate and predictable financing was reiterated. The Ministry and KIPRE leadership are engaging with the Budget Making Committee to ensure sustained financial support for research and innovation, positioning Kenya to reclaim its place as a regional leader in scientific discovery and health advancement.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Prof Josephat Mulimba FRSM Chairman of the Board of KIPRE who said the conference presents an opportunity for Kenya to learn best practices in research to upscale health outcomes in our region.
