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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Change approach on Covid jab, Kenya told

Health & Science

By Mercy Kahenda | Dec 22, 2021

**A nurse injects a person with Astra-Zeneca vaccine at Tombe Dispensary in Nyamira County.** [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Kenya is among the African states urged to step up Covid-19 vaccine rollout and strategy to enhance uptake. Africa CDC Deputy Director Ahmed Ogwell said low uptake of the vaccines in the continent was not a hesitancy issue but a roll-out and strategy problem.

“People are willing to get vaccines, they are not resistant,” said Dr Ogwell at a forum on Covid-19.

Ogwell said many Africans spent hours toiling for food when the jabs were administered in centres. “Our economy is to get out, work and eat. The vast majority choose bread,” said Ogwell, adding: “We need to get vaccines to people, and not wait for them to come.”

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He said the continent would not attain herd immunity if vaccines were not taken to the people. “If we do not increase the availability of vaccines to the public, we may lose some vaccines. Africa CDC supports vaccination to increase roll-out,” he said.

Kenya is experiencing a fifth Covid-19 wave, with Omicron variant feared to spread faster.

Uptake of the vaccines is still low, according to Health Ministry data. The country has received a total 23,279,820 vaccines.

As at December 19, Kenya had administered 8,902,539 vaccines. Up to 5,310,496 people were partially vaccinated, and another 3,592,043 fully vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health is planning to reach 10 million people by end of December.

“The uptake of the second dose among those who have received their first was 56.2 per cent. The proportion of adults fully vaccinated was 13.2 per cent. The government is working towards vaccinating a targeted population of 27,246,033,” reads part of the ministry’s Covid-19 update report.

A spot check by The Standard found vaccination centres operate from Monday to Fridays, from 8am to 5pm. Covid-19 Vaccine Taskforce chairperson Willis Akhwale has maintained that the vaccine uptake has improved, compared to last month.

Uptake of vaccines in November was 20,000 doses on a single day, numbers that have drastically increased to about 80,000.

Dr Akhwale attributed the steady increase to revamped outreach and use of religious leaders in sensitisation. “We saw our daily administration of vaccines double, and last week did 163,000 doses in a day,” he said.

Akhwale said Kenya was on course to attain the 10 million target. After the fourth wave, many Kenyans dropped guard and the uptake of the vaccine went low. But with Omicron, individuals are thronging vaccination centres.

Akhwale said challenges in uptake of the jab varied from one region to another. For instance, in Nairobi and surrounding areas, the uptake has been good, with at least one of every three people fully vaccinated.

On vaccination rollout, the official said the ministry provided guidelines, and that counties were supposed to come up with innovative ways to improve uptake.

For instance, counties like Kiambu and Nairobi have been doing moonlight jabbing.

“The Covid-19 vaccination taskforce at the national level gave guidance to encourage those who can open vaccination centres at weekends to do so, including working hours,” he said.