KENYA – Revital Healthcare (EPZ) Limited, Kilifi-based medical supply manufacturer, has entered into a 2-year strategic partnership deal with the Pakistani government that will see the company auto-disable vaccine syringes to Pakistan every month.
Revital Healthcare received nearly US$4 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2021 to increase syringe production volume from approximately 72 million to nearly 265 million annually towards the end of 2022 in efforts to cover more than half of the routine immunization needs in Africa.
Revital manufactures more than 45 essential medical disposables including various Syringes, Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Test Kits, Rapid Malaria Test Kits, Oxygen related products, PPE Kits, Surgical Face Masks, Viral Transport Medium Kits and many more products.
Revital Healthcare (EPZ) Limited is currently the only WHO prequalified manufacturer for vaccine syringes in Africa that is contracted by UNICEF and WHO for syringe supply.
In addition, the company recently unveiled the Vayu Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) system that provides blended oxygen without the need for electricity to neonates and infants with breathing problems.
The Kenyan medical firm is expanding its international presence further with a new collaborative venture in Pakistan. The company exports pharmaceuticals to 28 countries worldwide including India, Europe, China, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Namibia and Zambia.
Kenya has flagged off three consignments of five million syringes from Revital Healthcare Limited to Pakistan to address current shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE)s including equipment for vaccination administration amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The syringe export contract will help bridge the vaccine and syringe production divide currently experienced in Pakistan where vaccine availability and production are at the same pace as the requirement but syringes are not produced in the same rate.
The partnership comes at a time when Revital Company has increased production capacity for quality syringes to meet worldwide demand hence the firm will export syringes to Pakistan in an effort to mitigate commodity shortage challenges.
Revital Healthcare Limited Sales, Marketing and Product Development Director Roneek Vora said the company manufactures the 0.25ML syringes used for COVID-19 vaccination and immunisation of babies, confirming that the syringes would be used for the malaria vaccination when the jab is out next year.
“The government should focus more on healthcare to reduce the cost of medication. Right now, most people have to travel out of the country for specialized treatment which shows we lack the capacities to have adequate hospitals and medical experts in the country,” Vora highlighted.
Director Roneek Vora stressed that African governments need to recognize and support local manufacturers to combat the dumping of substandard pharmaceutical products from outside while noting that Africa has resources to manufacture medical equipment.
Pakistan High Commissioner to Kenya Ms Saqlain Syedah acknowledged Revital Healthcare for introducing a new sector of pharmaceuticals in which both countries can trade, adding that Pakistan was looking forward to future collaborations of value addition and a possibility of joint ventures in Kenya and Pakistan.
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