Take Covid jab first to give Kenyans confidence, MPs tell Uhuru

The Health Parliamentary Committee now wants President Uhuru Kenyatta to take the Covid-19 vaccine to give Kenyans confidence in taking the jab.

The committee members led by their chair, Sabina Chege, said they are concerned about the low uptake of the AstraZeneca vaccine because they do not have any confidence due to its bad publicity abroad.

They said all decision-makers in the country should be vaccinated in full view of the media so that Kenyans can see.

“Kenyans are a worried lot because of the news making circles about this drug, and the only way we can assure them is by the President and his deputy to take the jab in public,” said Dr James Nyikal (MP).

Nyikal said he is concerned that the uptake of the vaccines has not been taken seriously by Kenyans, and the government is not making any effort to explain to the people exactly what is going on.

The head of the National Vaccines and Immunisation programme, Dr Collins Tabu said adverse media publicity locally and abroad, and suspension of the use of AstraZeneca in Europe has affected the uptake of the vaccines in the country.

Tabu was addressing the committee on health at the National Central Vaccines Depot in Kitengela on Wednesday, 

Tabu said 660 outlets provide vaccination services countrywide but only 10,000 people take the jabs daily.

He said private hospitals have also been included in the program with strict instructions not to charge recipients.

Answering a question from Mbeere North MP Muriuki Njagagua, Tabu said the Ministry of Health has not established claims that health workers are selling Covid-19 jabs in the country.

“We started investigating the matter the moment the media reported it but so far, we have not established anything to that effect,” said Tabu.

While answering a question from Dadaab MP Mohamed Dahir Duale, Tabu said one dose of Covid-19 cost USD7, and that the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation will meet the cost of all the Covid-19 jabs that have been received in the country.

Duale was concerned that the cost of the vaccines may one day be imposed on Kenyans.

Tabu said the consignment of the Covid-19 vaccines expected in April is 25 million doses and which have been paid for by the global body, GAVI.

“The government will also procure 11 million doses at her cost," he said.

Chege claimed teachers, who are also frontline workers, were sent away by health workers in Nyeri as they attempted to get the jabs.

“We are calling on the government to reconsider earlier containment measures of locking down the country because of the spike on Covid-19 infections in the country,” said Chege.