Kenya ‘orders 24 million Covid-19 vaccine doses’

Kenya has ordered 24 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines, the Star newspaper has reported, citing health ministry officials.

The Kenyan government will spend 10bn Kenya shillings ($89m; £66m) for the vaccines, the newspaper reports.

The ministry submitted it’s request to the Global Vaccine Alliance Initiative (Gavi) last week, according to the report

This will be enough to cover 20% of the country’s population.

The World Bank puts the population of Kenya currently at more than 52 million.

It is not clear which vaccine the East African country has ordered.

Mid this year Gavi said that each dose of the Covid-19 vaccine will go for about $3.

Top on the list of those who will be vaccinated are frontline workers, the elderly and those with underlying conditions.

Gavi has signed agreements with manufacturers of about nine vaccine candidates.