Kenya to join Global vaccine body - Ruto

President William Ruto has said Kenya has started the process of becoming a member of the International Vaccine Institute.

Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua handed over a letter of intent to IVI director general Jerome Kim at a meeting chaired by Ruto in Seoul, South Korea.

Ruto said Kenya will follow the membership process because there is a lot to gain.

"We want to develop vaccines in Kenya that is why we started the Kenya Biovax Institute as a vehicle for working with other stakeholders and institutions," he said.

Biovax is a state cooperation tasked with the mandate of manufacturing packaging and commercialisation of specialised health products and technologies including vaccines and therapeutics.

Ruto said Kenya will work with the Kenya Medical Research Institute, IVI and other institutions in the production of pharmaceuticals and the development of vaccines.

Ruto is in the country for a three-day state visit at the invitation of President Yoon Suk Yeol.