Media briefs, milestones and events documenting the consortium's progress in developing natural products against COVID-19.
The consortium held its first stakeholder consultative symposium at Kenyatta University, bringing together all regional representatives of the Herbalists Society of Kenya, the Principal Investigators and other stakeholders.
The aim was to enable members of the Herbalists Society of Kenya to familiarise themselves with the ongoing research, identify areas for possible collaboration, and prepare to host the partners in the survey and mapping of medicinal plants, vegetables and mushrooms with the potential to mitigate COVID-19.
In his opening remarks, Professor Vincent Onywera, DVC Research, Innovation and Outreach at Kenyatta University, encouraged scientists to work together with traditional healers — the custodians of indigenous knowledge — for a better society, and challenged attendees to develop natural products that are acceptable nationally and globally.
Scientists should work together with traditional healers, the custodians of indigenous knowledge, for a better society.
Dr. Lydiah Matoke, President of the Herbalists Society of Kenya, introduced the society and expressed its commitment to work with scientists in adding value to natural medicinal products. The HSK leadership pledged to escalate the symposium's aims to other society members.
A new consortium targeting research and development of COVID-19 drugs in Kenya has been birthed. Bringing together five local universities and KEMRI, it received an initial seed funding of over Ksh 50 million from the National Research Fund.
The team held its inaugural two-day meeting in October 2021 at the KEMRI Headquarters. Prof. Walter Oyawa, Director General of NACOSTI, congratulated the consortium for winning the grant and challenged members to convert it into a national platform.
A new consortium targeting research and development of COVID-19 drugs in Kenya has been birthed. The nascent consortium that brings together five local universities and KEMRI has received an initial seed funding of over Ksh 50 million from the National Research Fund (NRF) for this task.
Members of the consortium, who are also the Principal Investigators, include Prof. Isabel Wagara (Egerton University), Dr. Peter Kirira (Mount Kenya University), Dr. Meshack Onyambu (Kenyatta University), Dr. Martin Magu (Multimedia University of Kenya), Dr. Joseph Mwafaida (Pwani University) and Prof. Jennifer Orwa, who is also the coordinator of the consortium from KEMRI.
The team held its inaugural two-day meeting on 18–19 October 2021 at the KEMRI Headquarters, and later announced that the consortium would be officially launched in November 2021.
During the inaugural meeting, Prof. Walter Oyawa, Director General of NACOSTI, congratulated the consortium for winning a grant on development of COVID-19 products totalling Ksh 50,602,000. He informed members that the nation expects the consortium to work round the clock to produce much-needed products that can be used to fight the disease, and challenged them to convert the consortium into a national platform.
This view was shared by Prof. Tom Peter Ogada, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), who further noted that natural products development is one of the national priority research areas that ought to be exploited by the team. Prof. Ogada challenged members to lead the debate on integration of herbal medicine into conventional medical practice.
The Institute leadership expressed gratitude at the formation of the COVID-19 Drug Development Consortium. While commending the team, Ag. Director General of KEMRI, Prof. Sam Kariuki, said that funding would immensely boost the search for workable treatments and formulations against the COVID-19 virus.
On her part, Prof. Orwa informed that the consortium would remain focused on developing natural products that will contribute to the mitigation of COVID-19.
