The Kenyan government wants to acquire two million doses of Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to bolster its vaccination campaign.
Health Minister Mutahi Kagwe says the additional doses will be used to supplement the vaccines supplied through the UN-led Covax scheme.
Kenya has so far vaccinated more than 700,000 people with the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
The East African nation received just over a million doses through Covax in early March.
But pharmaceutical manufacturing giant India recently decided to halt vaccine exports in order to prioritise its citizens – throwing Covax supply chains in doubt.
Many African governments have been forced to look elsewhere for their next batches.
AstraZeneca was an ideal choice for many as it is easier to store. The Pfizer vaccine might prove difficult to roll out in Kenya as it does not have enough cold-storage facilities.
However, Mr Kagwe says Kenya plans to buy special fridges required to store them once they have been delivered.
Data from the government shows that more men are taking the vaccines compared to women – though many members of the public are sceptical about being vaccinated. BBC
