Counties, local leaders push for mass vaccination outreach
Just a week to Mashujaa Day celebrations, the government is yet to hit the vaccination target of 5.8 million people, as just over 4.2 million people have been jabbed so far.
The Health Ministry has decried the low uptake of the vaccines and it’s now calling on both politicians and county governments to be vibrant and organize community outreaches that would enable more people to come out for the shot.
Kenya’s Covid-19 vaccine deployment task-force chairman Dr Willis Akhwale, however, remains hopeful that target can be hit.
Dr Akhwale said counties have to conduct mass outreaches in places of worship, matatu terminals, in collaboration with local leaders such as chiefs.
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“We continue to believe that this is going to be attainable and what we believe needs to be done is sustained community mobilization at the county level. Bringing together political leadership and county government leadership and other leaders at the lower levels is going to be very key to sustain people to come for the vaccines.”
“We now have over 7.5 million doses of five types of vaccines and these have been distributed. We even started vaccinating with Pfizer last week so access is now not so much an issue but is for people to show up,” Dr Akhwale added.
The ministry targets at least 5.8 million people by Mashujaa Day, and roughly 10 million people by Christmas Day.
