Kenya makes strides, vaccinates all mentally i*l inmates
Kenya has vaccinated all mentally ill offenders against Covid-19.
Speaking on Tuesday in Mathari National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i said the facility is offering vaccination to the elderly, teachers, security personnel and other priority staff.
"Hosting the Maximum Security Unit for Mentally ill offenders and the only referral institution specializing in mental health and psychiatry training in Kenya, investment here will go along way in providing quality mental health," Matiang'i said.
Mathari Hospital is the only facility that admits inmates with mental illness in the country.
Kenya has so far vaccinated 3,935,671 people since the Covid-19 vaccination started earlier this year.
In a statement on Tuesday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said some 947,543 Kenyans have so far been fully inoculated while 2,988,128 have been partially vaccinated.
Kenya has so far received 6.3 million Covid-19 vaccines.
Of these, 880,460 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines donated by the United States of America.
Another 3.4 million astrazeneca vaccines have arrived in Kenya.
Other vaccines doses now available in Kenya include; Johnson and Johnson (141,600), Pfizer (795,600) and Sinopharm (795,600).
All of the vaccines in the country are from donors.
The first vaccination began on 5th March 2021 with county vaccinations kicking off on 8th of March 2021. The second dose vaccination began on 28th May 2021.
The government is conducting the vaccination free of charge and is aiming to vaccinate at least 10 million adults by the end of the year.
The roll out of the national vaccination campaign is being led by the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO, UNICEF, Gavi and other partners.
