CS Mutahi Kagwe tells off rich nations on children jabs
Oliver Musembi and Clement Kamau
Heath Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe yesterday accused some rich countries of vaccinating children against Covid-19 while some people in third world countries are yet to give the jabs to adults.
Kagwe who was officially launching a countrywide mass vaccination campaign, said the gains in the fight against the pandemic may be lost because of what he termed “vaccine apartheid.”
“We are appealing to the world community to stop this vaccine apartheid, where some countries are vaccinating children whereas the rest of the world has not even begun giving jabs to the adults.
Yet when you look at statistics, there is no the evidence that calls for children inoculation against the virus yet,” Kagwe said.
The launch, also attended by Kiambu Governor James Nyoro among other dignitaries at the Kiambu county headquarters, targets to have 15.8 million people across the country vaccinated by December.
Mass vaccination campaign follows the arrival of Covid-19 vaccines in the country and the Health ministry aims to ensure 5.8 million Kenyans are vaccinated by October 20 and a further 10 million by end of the year.
“The fact remains that the geographical boundaries that we have are irrelevant when it comes to virus transmission.
The truth is that a person who is not vaccinated in Kenya can transmit the virus in Uganda, United Kingdom, United States (US) and elsewhere.
As much as we can close the borders, history has taught us that the human being has never been stopped from going where they want,” Kagwe said.
Thanking western nations for their support in the fight against the pandemic, the CS assured the country that no vaccine will expire adding that 13 million doses of vaccines are expected to be shipped into the country by US firm Johnson and Johnson.
He also took a swipe at India for failing to deliver doses of Astra-Zeneca vaccines which it promised.
“We are appealing to friendly countries like India where the world deposited billions under the Covac facility to fast track the deliveries,” the CS added.
Nyoro noted that infections in Kiambu County had surged to nearly unmanageable levels during the by-election campaigns in Kiambaa constituency and Muguga ward.
He urged residents to continue observing the laid down protocols despite the current decline in new cases.
Kiambu Health Minister Joseph Murega said that the county is overwhelmed by the influx of Covid-19 patients from neighboring counties.
