• Some 3,750 Covid-19 cases, constituting three per cent of all the cases reported in Kenya are healthcare workers.
• As of Wednesday, 64,100 Kenyans had been vaccinated.
Image: REUTERS
Healthcare professional associations have made a passionate appeal to their members to take the Covid-19 vaccine jab.
The appeal was made by National Nurses Association of Kenya president Alfred Obengo, Kenya Clinical Officers Association national chairman Albert Taiti and Kenya Medical Association president Were Onyino.
Others are Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya president Louis Machogu, and Kenya Pharmaceutical Association secretary general Erical Gichane.
"It is important to note that 3,750 Covid-19 cases, constituting three per cent of all the cases reported in Kenya are healthcare workers. Out of the 3,750, more than 60 healthcare workers have succumbed to the disease," Obengo said.
Obengo read the joint statement on Friday at KMA Centre in Upperhill.
"We encourage all our members to get vaccinated because it is, so far, one of the greatest tools against the disease," Obengo said.
The Covid-19 vaccine is being offered voluntarily and not mandatory. As of Wednesday, 64,100 Kenyans had been vaccinated.
Obengo said they are encouraging their members to get the vaccine for the sake of their health and well-being and that of their patients and the healthcare system they work in.
"Just as the government owes healthcare workers a duty of care, we as your association officials would not want to see our members getting exposed to any unnecessary risk in the course of their work," he said.
He said the more the healthcare workers are vaccinated, the safer the country would be.
Obengo said their members should continue to maintain a safe working environment through the use of personal protective equipment and adequate handwashing resources.
He said they have mobilised Sh600 million for the ongoing purchase of PPE set to be distributed to all isolation centres.
Obengo said the vaccine that has been deployed in the country is safe as it has undergone WHO's quality, safety, and efficacy standards.
He said even though the vaccine processes have been fast-tracked, the same high standards of research, manufacturing, and deployment were maintained just like other vaccines.
"Given the urgent need to stop the pandemic, pauses between steps, often needed to secure funding, have been shortened or eliminated and in some cases steps are being carried out in parallel to accelerate the process, wherever that is safe to do."
Obengo said healthcare workers will give confidence to the public by getting the jab.
He urged healthcare workers to support the roll-out of the vaccine to the remotest part of the country.
The association also praised the government for including those aged above 58 in the second phase of the vaccine.
Obengo cautioned against the commercialisation of vaccines by "unscrupulous individuals".
He said professional associations are willing to partner with the ministry to safeguard the interests of healthcare workers and the public.
Obengo said resources allocated in the roll-out should be accounted for.
The professionals urged the government to withdraw the proposed amendment in the Health Act of 2019 seeking to alienate professional bodies from governance and regulation of healthcare.