• The survey was conducted between June 26 and July 14 among 3,000 respondents randomly selected from across all the counties in the country.
• The aim was to generate evidence needed to inform the ongoing government efforts to understand the gaps in knowledge of the Covi-19 vaccines.
Image: ANDREW KASUKU
Twelve in every 100 Kenyans who are yet to go for their second Covid-19 jab say they don't know they need another dose.
The latest survey shows another six in 10 believe one dose of the vaccine is sufficient to protect them against the virus.
The Health Ministry through the Division of Research and Twaweza conducted a nationwide survey on citizens’ knowledge, beliefs and practices of the Covid-19 vaccines.
The survey was conducted between June 26 and July 14 among 3,000 respondents randomly selected from all the counties.
The aim was to generate the evidence needed to inform the ongoing government efforts to understand the gaps in knowledge of the Covid-19 vaccines.
From the survey, three out of four Kenyans say if a Covid-19 vaccine was offered to them, they would be willing to get vaccinated.
Willingness is slightly higher among those aged above 55 years at 82 per cent, those who have completed secondary education at 81 per cent and those in the western zone 79 per cent.
“Three-quarters of Kenyans support giving priority access to vaccines to the elderly (76 per cent) and frontline workers in healthcare (74 per cent), reflecting the Ministry of Health’s messaging on priority groups for vaccinations,” the report says.
“Priority access for other frontline workers such as police and teachers also has widespread support (50 per cent). Other groups for whom the public generally support priority access include those with underlying conditions (39 per cent) and schoolgoing children (34 per cent,” it reads in part.
One in three (32 per cent), however, says everyone should have equal access to the vaccines.
The survey found that almost all Kenyans are aware that vaccines have been developed that provide protection against Covid-19 with a minority still believing the misconceptions about the jabs.
“It is reassuring that knowledge of the vaccines and willingness to take them are reasonably high. These are likely to be key to the effort to achieve high vaccination coverage,” the report says.
“There is need to deliver targeted, well-delivered behavioural communication that addresses key concerns such as understanding why the vaccine was availed so quickly and combatting myths around side effects.”
In August, the ministry began to involve community health volunteers in tracing the defaulters after the Chanjo-KE platform showed about 100,000 people were yet to show up for their second dose almost three months later.
This was attributed to some individuals opting to wait for another type of vaccine for their second jab.
“Some are saying 'I am waiting for Johnson & Johnson, I want to get Moderna, or I want to get Pfizer'. We are telling them AstraZeneca is also sufficient."
"You need to get that second dose because we have not adopted the policy of mix and match yet,” vaccines deployment task force chairman Dr Willis Akhwale said.
The report shows two out of 10 Kenyans or 18 per cent report that one or more household members has been vaccinated against Covid-19, with eight per cent reporting relatives are fully vaccinated.
According to the survey, reported vaccination rates are slightly higher in urban areas, amongst the highly educated and those with a regular source of income.
Edited by EKibii