The stigmatisation of the coronavirus pandemic could erode gains made in vaccination as mothers stay away from clinics where they should seek maternal care.
Sisters Maternity Home (SIMAHO) program manager Zahara Hussein told a sensitisation workshop for civil society organisations in Garissa on Saturday that gains achieved in the last five years were at risk.
"I am personally concerned that mothers fear clinics or turning up to have their children vaccinated. The numbers have significantly dropped due to the fears that hospitals have become Covid-19 hotspots," Zahara said.
"All these are myths. Our hospitals are safe and I want to appeal to our pregnant mothers and those with children under five years to come for their clinic check-ups and vaccination respectively."
She said a survey done by the department of public health in floods displacement camps showed that several mothers stopped taking their children for vaccinations immediately after the Covid-19 outbreak.
"There are those who had just started but stopped midway. There those who never turned up completely," Zahara said.
The situation is even worse in areas where public health facilities were closed down due to insecurity, she said.
She urged the elected leaders including MCAs, the clerics and opinion leaders to educate residents on the importance of having their children vaccinated.
"The health of a nation is more important than anything else a country can offer to its citizens. We must all come together in this campaign to promote vaccination of our children," Zahara said.
There are claims of the vaccines are laced with family planning drugs but Zahara asked stakeholders to sensitise the community on the vaccines.
A 2018 report by the Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunization shows vaccination against measles and rubella virus in Garissa stands at 36 per cent followed by tetanus 2 at 54 perc ent. Polio leads with 81 per cent coverage.
Edited by P.O
