Kenya stands to gain from a WHO initiative aimed at developing vaccines for 17 pathogens that frequently impact communities. In its first systematic global study, WHO identified these pathogens as priorities for vaccine development, based on factors like regional disease burden, antimicrobial resistance, and socioeconomic effects. The study reinforces the need for vaccines for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, which together cause nearly 2.5 million deaths annually and are among Kenya’s leading health challenges.
Additionally, the study highlights the importance of developing vaccines for pathogens increasingly resistant to treatment, like Group A streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Dr. Kate O’Brien, WHO’s director for immunisation, emphasized the study’s focus on saving lives over profitability, aiming to relieve medical costs for families and health systems.
WHO collaborated with global experts to compile a top 10 pathogen list per region, consolidating these to form a global list of 17 priority pathogens. This priority list aligns with the Immunisation Agenda 2030, which seeks equitable vaccine access worldwide, and serves as a guide for research and manufacturing efforts that could yield the most impactful vaccines for endemic diseases.
