More than 300 health workers at Embu Level Five Teaching and Referral Hospital will be vaccinated against Hepatitis B infection after cases were reported at the facility.
"We have decided to first vaccinate our health workers to avert a crisis. We have received patients with the disease. Health workers are the first people to come into contact with the infected people there we must protect them," Health executive Joan Mwende said.
While addressing the media on Wednesday, Mwende said that four cases of the deadly infection have been reported at the hospital this month. However, she said there is no outbreak.
"We wouldn't call it an outbreak, but even having one case is worrying. Having four cases within a month called for precautionary measures to protect our health workers," she said.
The CEC further said that there is a concern that there is a fast spread of the disease in Embu County as the cases were reported from different corners.
She said that after all the health workers have been vaccinated, the exercise will move to members of the public.
"We will then seek for donors to support us to reach all the residents to protect people from the the deadly infection," Mwende said.
