• On Tuesday, Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was vaccinated to lead by example.
• Only 800 health workers and five police officers volunteered.The rest of the 4,500 doses can't be re-refrigerated, must be used for other citizens.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho has said most frontline health workers failed to show up for the Covid-19 jab and it will be offered to other willing citizens.
Of 4,500 doses, only 800 medics received the vaccine, as did five policemen.
The AstraZeneca vaccine has an expiry date, therefore, vaccines swill be wasted if not used soon.
On March 9, Mombasa county government received 9,000 doses; the Kenya Naval Base in Mtongwe received 3,000 doses.
Joho's administration aims to vaccinate at least 4,500 health workers, including nurses, doctors, clinical officers, mortuary attendants and others.
However, by the end of second week, only 800 health workers had been vaccinated.
“Initially, when Kenya was buying these vaccines, we were told they were meant for frontline workers, doctors, teachers, security officers.
"However, we have noticed a trend whereby people who are being targeted are avoiding the jabs,” Joho said.
The governor said only five police officers have showed up for the jab in Mombasa, the second largest city in Kenya.
However, he said many other members of the community, who are not in the frontline, have asked for the vaccine.
At least 395 people, who are not frontline workers, have been vaccinated.
“We are now at a point where we will be forced to make a decision, because if frontline health workers do not want the vaccine, we shall give it to the people who are willing,” Joho said.
Speaking during a joint press conference by the Mombasa Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19, Joho said the third wave of Covid-19 is very lethal.
He said one of Mombasa’s hospital, which has 12 ICU beds, is almost full with severe cases.
“We are not sure about the next moment, because patients are still coming in and the majority admitted are in very critical condition,” Joho said.
The governor said Mombasa has 100 Covid-19 Isolation and ICU beds.
He said in September last year the county was recording a low rate of new infections and thus dismantled some isolation centres.
The county had put up a 300-bed Covid-19 Isolation and Treatment Centre at the Technical University of Mombasa, which was closed after students resumed classes.
“Initially, we had close to 800 isolation beds within Mombasa. However, when we could comfortably say the curve had been flattened, we shut down some centres,” Joho said.
The governor said if the Covid-19 infection rate continues to rise, they will set up isolation centres again to accommodate all the patients.
(Edited by V. Graham)