Mandera to use radio to raise uptake of Covid vaccine

Health officials in Mandera have expressed concern over apathy by members of the public in taking the covid-19 vaccine.

Health executive Mohamed Adan said the Health department will embark on holding radio talk shows to educate the community on the importance of taking the jab.

Adan spoke at a press briefing at the Mandera county headquarters on Wednesday. He was flanked by Mandera county commissioner Onesmus Kyatha.

Last December, the Health department undertook a Rapid Results Initiative to boost vaccine uptake at the subcounty level.

More than 20,000 persons were vaccinated.

The executive said despite the initiative, more needs to be done to further increase the numbers.

To boost uptake, another RRI spearheaded by President Uhuru Kenyatta was launched a week ago.

The exercise targets 50 per cent of the Kenyan population.

The health executive said the risk of transmission of Covid-19 particularly to unvaccinated persons was still very high.

He referred to the latest positive case of a female diabetic patient referred from Banissa subcounty, who passed on at the ICU last Saturday.

"We note with concern the public’s poor reception of the vaccination exercise. We wish to inform our people that globally the best way of fighting Covid-19 infection is through mass vaccination,” Adan said.

As the country approaches elections, mass movement of people from one place to another and from urban to rural areas is expected.

This he said might trigger high infection rates adding that the only thing that will help will be if one is vaccinated.

Adan said the county has enough stock of vaccines ranging from AstraZeneca, J&J and Pfizer.

The county launched mass vaccination campaign against Covid-19 on March 15, 2021.

The initial phase of vaccination targeted the vulnerable population of 50 years and above, frontline healthcare workers, teachers and security personnel.

The second phase of the campaign in December 2021 was broadened to include all persons above 18 years, due to availability of the Covid-19 vaccines.

Persons between 15 – 18 years can also take Pfizer vaccines while pregnant women can take Pfizer or Moderna.

The health executive encouraged pastoralist communities to take the J&J vaccine which is one shot, to avoid coming back for the second dose.

He said administrators have been instructed to help health teams in mobilising people for vaccination.

The performance of each subcounty will be reviewed daily and the uptake shared with with the governor.

The county commissioner on his part said the national government will continue working closely with the county in ensuring that many people are vaccinated.

All passengers coming in or going out of Mandera county will be required to show proof of vaccination from February 9.

Persons seeking services from government offices will also need to show proof of vaccination.

Institutions including colleges, prisons and secondary schools are all encouraged to vaccinate their resident population.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)