- Data from the Health ministry shows that out of the more than 900,000 that are eligible for their booster shots, only 275,525 turned up by Friday.
- Kenya opened up the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine boosters in January following advice from the Kenya National Immunisation Technical Advisory
Image: MAGDALINE SAYA
The Health Ministry is concerned about the high number of Kenyans who have defaulted on the Covid-19 vaccines booster shots.
Data from the ministry shows that out of the more than 900,000 that are eligible for their booster shots, only 275,525 turned up by Friday.
Kenya opened up the administration of the Covid-19 vaccine boosters in January following advice from the Kenya National Immunisation Technical Advisory Group.
This is after emerging scientific evidence recommended that an additional dose of a vaccine be given after the protection provided by the original shot(s) started to naturally decrease over time.
A booster tricks the immune system into thinking that it is again seeing a pathogen, so antibody-producing cells and other immune cells are recalled into gear.
This has been attributed to complacency among Kenyans following reduction in the positivity rate and the number of Covid-19 admissions.
The positivity rate was 0.3 per cent on Saturday.
“The daily vaccination rate has reduced from a high of 252,000 recorded early last month to an average of 30,000 to 40,000 daily,” Health CAS Dr Mercy Mwangangi said last week.
“The preference of certain types of vaccines as witnessed during the just ended campaigns is also worrying. Some people demanded certain types of vaccines and when they were offered AstraZeneca they declined.”
The situation was worsened by the ministry’s lifting of the virus containment measures such as the masking mandate, with Kenyans now assuming the virus is over.
Ministry data reveal that Nairobi has the highest number of people who have showed up for their booster shots at 94,838 followed by Nakuru at 23,206, Kiambu at 18,178, Nyeri at 15,516 and Uasin Gishu at 11,237.
However, counties, especially those in the northern region, have continued to record low uptake of the vaccines and booster doses.
For instance, only 51 booster jabs have been administered in Lamu, 74 in Marsabit, 108 in Wajir, 139 in Tana River, 191 in Garissa, 195 in Isiolo and 206 in Mandera.
Other counties with low booster jabs uptake include West Pokot with 241, Turkan with 322, Samburu with 398, Kwale with 639 and Elgeyo Marakwet with 650 doses to date.
The low uptake of Covid-19 vaccines following the relaxation of contained measures has seen the government halt deliveries.
The ministry further said only Covid-19 vaccines donations whose shelf life is at least four months at the time of the delivery will be accepted.
This comes even as the ministry confirmed expiry of more than 840,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines with another one million single shot Johnson & Johnson likely to expire if they are not used before mid of April.
“We are particularly concerned with the low number of Kenyans showing up for vaccination. A lot of it is attributed to the low risk perception because of low positivity rate,” Willis Akhwale said.
“Many Kenyans are now feeling there is no need for vaccination and we need to address that risk because this is a pandemic that is still here with us. So we are looking at strategies to strengthen the uptake.”
Akhwale is the Vaccines deployment taskforce chairperson.
Kenya has received more than 27 million doses to date, majorly from bilateral donations, with data from the Health Ministry showing that a total of 17.5 million have been administered across the country.
(edited by Amol Awuor)