• There is great concern that once the vaccines are developed, low and middle-income countries, including Kenya, might be put at the end of the queue.
• These countries were sidelined when demand for Covid-19 testing equipment and reagents shot up.
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
Diplomatic discussions are ongoing to ensure equitable access and distribution of coronavirus vaccines once they are ready.
There is great concern that once the vaccines are developed, low and middle-income countries, including Kenya, might be put at the end of the queue.
These countries were sidelined when demand for Covid-19 testing equipment and reagents shot up. They suffered acute shortage as richer countries were given preference.
The result was a huge backlog of samples collected. Some countries opted for the rapid test kits as opposed to the PCR one recommended by the World Health Organization.
“There are discussions at regional and intercontinental levels to make sure that low and middle-income countries are not left out in terms of getting this vaccine. We have our regional and continental bodies who are working to strike this,” Health CAS Rashid Aman said Tuesday
The University of Oxford researchers on Monday said there is a possibility vaccines would be available by end of the year if late-stage trials are completed fast.
Trials involving 1,077 people showed the injection induced antibodies and T-cells that can fight coronavirus.
The vaccine — called ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 — is being developed at unprecedented speed.
It is made from a genetically engineered virus that causes the common cold in chimpanzees.
Aman on Tuesday announced 397 new virus cases, bringing the total of confirmed cases to 14,168.
Some 389 Kenyans and eight foreigners tested positive from 3,637 samples. The country has now conducted 249,998 tests.
The youngest was a one-year-old infant, while the oldest was aged 90 years. The new cases comprised 236 men and 161 women.
The country also lost 12 more patients to the virus, raising deaths to 250.
However, 642 more people recovered from the disease; 55 were discharged from hospitals while 587 were under the home-based care programme. Patients who have undergone treatment and recovered are 6,258.
Nairobi still leads in the number of those infected. The city county recorded 239 new cases. Kiambu had 33, while Machakos had 27 new cases.
Nyeri had 17 cases, Busia 16, Nakuru and Mombasa 12 each, Kajiado 10, Migori and Uasin Gishu eight each, Kericho five, Narok and Laikipia three cases each, Kisii, Kisumu, Lamu and Nyandarua recorded one case each.
Aman called on healthcare workers to give priority to the older persons as they are more susceptible to contracting the virus.
They will need to ask them about preexisting conditions, verify last visit details and any medication that they are on.
(edited by o. owino)