Kenya: The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has asked pregnant women to continue taking the tetanus vaccines offered in health facilities across the country, saying there is no doubt about their safety.
Speaking yesterday in Nairobi, the doctors said the routine anti-tetanus vaccination should not be confused with the vaccines that are being used for the anti-tetanus campaign that has drawn opposition from the Catholic Church.
KMA National Chairman Elly Nyaim expressed concern that the controversy over the Tetanus campaign could affect the uptake of routine tetanus vaccinations in health facilities.
He revealed that many mothers had developed doubts about the tetanus vaccine and vaccines in general following claims by the church that vaccines used in the tetanus campaign are laced with hormones that interfere with the fertility of women.
"Kenyan women should know that the routine tetanus vaccines offered in health facilities have no issues at all. It is only the vaccines that were being used for the campaign that have been disputed. So they should continue taking the routine vaccinations as we await results on the vaccines being tested," he said.
KMA CEO Elizabeth Wala called on the Ministry of Health to stop further anti-tetanus campaigns using the disputed vaccines until the results of laboratory tests are released.
KMA also asked the Director of Medical Services to include their members in the panel that will handle the testing of the controversial vaccine.