Global drugs manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim has opened a new scientific office in Nairobi to serve as the company's headquarters for the Sub-Saharan Africa region.
This aims to focus on addressing Kenya’s health challenges with a key focus on the needs of local communities.
The target is to reach at least 50 million people in the region with lifesaving interventions and align with the government agenda of attaining Universal Health Coverage.
The company banks on its presence in Kenya to work closely in partnership with healthcare providers and regulators to bring healthcare solutions in areas of unmet medical need.
“We are dedicated to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of patients, animals and communities at large, and we believe that our investment in Kenya is an important step towards achieving this goal,” Mohammed Tawil said.
Tawil is the regional managing director and head of Human Pharma at Boehringer Ingelheim Africa, India, the Middle East and Turkey.
The firm has supported key health initiatives in Kenya including helping in the fight against Covid-19.
It has been ranked among the top 20 largest pharmaceutical companies globally for its ongoing effort to overcome barriers to access to healthcare, especially for vulnerable groups and communities in developing countries.
The company for instance continues its search for new therapies for diseases such as tuberculosis, HBV and Dengue fever and treating antimicrobial resistance.
Some of the previous initiatives include “Kuza Afya” and “Tiba Yako” which improved community awareness and access to therapies for emerging cardiovascular and metabolic diseases like hypertension and diabetes, especially in grassroots low-income areas across the western regions of the country.
The programmes have seen more than 100,000 patients being screened for diabetes and hypertension and an estimated 7,000 patients gaining routine access to vital diabetes and hypertension care.
"By opening a scientific office in Kenya, we aim to deliver global best practices and innovative therapies to address the ongoing health requirements of patients and animals locally and across the region,” Head of Human Pharma for Sub-Saharan Africa Marseille Onyango said.
According to Health CS Susan Wafula, such partnerships will have a role in the effect of ensuring the sustainability of health systems and supporting the country’s self-reliance.
She also said it presents an opportunity for substantial investment in the continent for pharmaceuticals, through locating and relocating manufacturing industries within Kenya.
Also present during the official opening of the new office include the Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kenya Thomas Wimmer and the Director, Intergovernmental Relations, Health Sector coordination and International Health relations at the Ministry of Health Dr Joseph Lenai.