The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) has approved the emergency use of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine to a private company in Kenya.
The vaccine has a 92 percent efficacy rate and is Kenya’s first private vaccine consignment.
”PBB Kenya has given Emergency Use Authorization to AstraZeneca vaccine and the Sputnik V vaccine after a successful evaluation process. This is not a registration.” PPB said on its Twitter account Wednesday.
The vaccine, which will require two doses for maximum protection, will be sold at Sh5, 500 a dose hence Sh11, 000 for the two jabs which will be 21 days apart.
According to the PBB, before a vaccine is considered for approval, sufficient scientific and clinical evidence must be collected to show that it is safe, efficacious and of suitable quality.
The Board said that in reviewing the Sputnik V vaccine, it had considered all aspects of quality, safety and efficacy and arrived at the conclusion that it is wholesomely safe.
While it has been authorized for emergency use, it is yet to be included in the National Vaccination Program as the Ministry of Health has yet to decide to use it.
