The Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) has raised alarm over the delay in Kenya's co-financing obligation to GAVI, an organization that helps developing countries purchase critical vaccines.
In a statement on Thursday, April 3, KEWOPA chairperson Leah Sankarie said that the Ministry of Health and the National Treasury should take immediate action to fulfill the country's co-financing obligation before the deadline to avoid reversing the country's immunization progress, which currently stands at 85%.
The pending GAVI co-financing obligations for FY 2024/2025 amount to Ksh1.25 billion ($12.5 million) for more than 6 million doses of various vaccines, with a payment deadline of June 30, 2025.
Failure to meet its obligations could disrupt the vaccine supply, leading to stockouts and leaving millions of children across the country unprotected.
KEWOPA has directed the National Treasury to present a report detailing Kenya's status on GAVI co-financing obligations and the payment schedules to the National Assembly.
"We issue an urgent call to the Ministry of Health and the National Treasury to take immediate action to fulfill this obligation. Failure to meet this deadline will undermine Kenya's Expanded Programme on Immunization and endanger the progress we have made," the statement read.
"This is not a matter for further delay; the health of our children is at stake, and timely payment is essential to ensure a continuous and reliable vaccine supply," it added.
The lawmakers have urged the Ministry of Health to table a report to the national assembly outlining the current status of the country's vaccine stocks in central stores in the county and facility level.
"We call on the Ministry of Health and the National Treasury to take this matter with the seriousness it deserves and handle it immediately to avoid any vaccine stockouts," it stated. "We strongly believe that immunization financing should be a high priority and handled promptly," she added.
GAVI is a Geneva-based body launched in 2000 to help poor countries access critical vaccines through financial support, technical expertise, and negotiations with manufacturers for low prices.
For more than two decades, vaccination programs in the country have been heavily reliant on GAVI donor support. Kenya has received more than Ksh129 billion from the organization.
So far, GAVI covers Ksh6.5 billion of Kenya's annual vaccine bill, and the government is expected to cover the rest of the Ksh5.8 billion.
However, given the country's lower-middle-income status, Kenya will remain eligible for GAVI support until 2029. In the next five years, GAVI is also expected to decrease the amount of funding it provides to Kenya in preparation for the country's transition plan.
According to UNICEF, Kenya must increase its immunization financing by at least 30% over the next five years to maintain and expand coverage.
KEWOPA has urged the Ministry of Health and the Treasury to also table a transition plan that outlines how the government plans to ensure that there won't be a vaccination gap once the country progresses to full financing.
