•Endege is a scientist who has spent most of his time in the town of Cambridge the biotechnology center of The State of Massachusetts.
•He is a holder of 5 patents and has over the past 29 years done research in cancer drug development research at Harvard University and biotech/pharmaceuticals companies in the greater Boston area.
One and half years after Covid-19 was identified, Diaspora Kenyan Scientists are working hard to produce vaccines and other medicines in Kenya.
Executive Trustee Dan Kamau, who is also the Project Director of Diaspora University Town, says they have been working on a medicine and vaccine plant as part of the Diaspora University Town projects for many years.
"We last year accelerated the plan. The current goal is to have a production plant built and producing vaccines and medicines by next year, 2022," he said.
The lead founder of the medicine and vaccine plant Wilson Endege says they have the technology for vaccine and medicine production.
They have already started the process of making the Covid-19 vaccine and other biologic medicine products like insulin for treating diabetes and interferons for treating cancer and infectious viruses like SARS-CoV2 using contract research laboratories in the US.
As the production facility is constructed, Endege says they shall progress the vaccines and medicines to be ready for production at the building.
"The biologics products produced in the facility will increase to at least 30 products over the years,” he said.
Endege is a scientist who has spent most of his time in the town of Cambridge, the biotechnology center of the state of Massachusetts.
He is a holder of five patents and has over the past 29 years done research in cancer drug development research at Harvard University and biotech/pharmaceuticals companies in the greater Boston area.
“When the building construction is progressing the preclinical and clinical trials will be started in Kenya. We have signed an MOU with University of Nairobi.”
On his part, Benson J.Edagwa of Nebraska who has invented novel technologies to allow for HIV medicines to be dosed only once every year said once the production plant is open, they shall establish new partnerships and collaboration.
The lead design consultant Architect David Ogoli says, “The building is designed as an energy-efficient and sustainable facility.
"It will maximize the use of natural ventilation, natural daylight, water efficiency and building integrated photovoltaic systems. All waste matter will be treated onsite before being released into the mainstream natural systems on the site of ten acres. Local building materials will be used as much as possible,” he said.
Dan further says the goal of the development team is to ground break on the building before September this year and build in the fastest time possible.
Answering on the finance plan, he says the project attainment and finance is considered based on six plans or capitals as follows: land, technology, product development, building, equipment, and production starting capital. “The land and technology are achieved.”
He adds, “The most important resource capital in Medicine and Vaccine production is the technology.”
Talking about the Diaspora University Town project in Taita Taveta County where the plant will be located, he says, “The project is a Jobs Creation project.”
He adds, “By creating jobs and having more Kenyans working, we shall be able to produce our medicines, vaccines and other products that meet Kenyans needs.”
The Medicine and Vaccine Plant by the Diaspora Scientists, Diaspora Kenyans, Ndara B Community and Kenyans will have a positive impact of increasing Kenyan’s life expectancy from the current 64 years to over 75 years.
Today countries that are producing Covid-19 vaccines have started protecting their citizens from death from the virus.