Kenya on Friday received the first batch of the Pfizer vaccine doses with the arrival of 795,600 doses from the United States.
Speaking at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while receiving the donation from the US government, Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache, who was representing Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the consignment will go a long way in accelerating the ongoing vaccination campaign as Kenya strives to immunize 60% of its population.
“This is now the fourth type of Covid-19 vaccine to be deployed in Kenya. With this consignment, the country will now have received over 6.3 million doses of assorted vaccines” observed PS Mochache.
Mochache said the Kenyan government continue to commit funds for procurement of vaccines by engaging manufacturers and other stakeholders both at national and regional level to ensure all those who are eligible access vaccines. This even as she called on health facilities to ensure they upload information of every person being vaccinated to the Chanjo platform.
“This is important in ensuring that we get accurate reports for purposes of planning. I want to caution here that those facilities that will not comply shall be delisted as vaccination centres.” Warned the PS.
Speaking at the same event, Acting US Ambassador to Kenya Eric Kneedler said the United States remain committed in supporting Kenya recover from the pandemic.
UNICEF Kenya Deputy Representative Jean Lokenga said the donation was a welcome boost to the ongoing vaccination drive adding that a further 1,236,690 doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be arriving in the country in the coming weeks.
The World Health Organisation has has so far approved six COVID-19 vaccines for emergency use, including all four now available in Kenya – Astra Zeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer.
A total of 3,290,450 vaccine doses had been administered in Kenya by the close of business Thursday with 2,439,528 being first doses. 850,922 persons representing 3.1 percent of the country’s entire adult population have so far been fully vaccinated.
Kenya is prioritizing those aged above 58 years, health care workers, security officers and teachers, who remain at the highest risk of contracting the virus, in the ongoing vaccination drive.
The government is targeting to increase daily vaccination rates to 150,000 by December this year. Vaccination posts will also be increased from 800 to 3,000 by December with the number rising to 7,877 by June next year.
The first phase of vaccination began on 5th March 2021 with county vaccinations kicking off on 8th of March 2021.
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.
