Kenyans urged to go for second Covid-19 jab
By Samuel Ouma
The Ministry of Health has called on Kenyans who had received their first dose of Covid-19 to go for the second shot.
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache directed the mentioned group of people to get their jab at various health premises across the country from Wednesday.
Kenya, on Monday night, received a consignment of 358 700 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Denmark.
The vaccines donated by the Danish government landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. They were received by senior government officials led by Principal Secretary Susan Mochache, Foreign affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba, Acting General Health Director-General Dr. Patrick Amoth, and vaccines deployment task force chair Willis Akhwale.
Others present were Danish ambassador to Kenya Ole Thonke, WHO country director Rudi Eggers, UNICEF country representative Ms. Maniza Zaman and Sub-saharan Africa Astrazeneca Government affairs Director Dr. Kennedy Njau.
“From Wednesday when I am sure the vaccine will have reached most facilities in Kenya we would wish that people should get out and go for their second dose. This vaccine donation that we have received has got a life of about one month and so up to to the end of July the vaccines will be in good condition and can therefore be administered,” said PS Mochache.
The administration of the second jab of AstraZeneca in Kenya has not been smooth due to the shortage of vaccines. Before the arrival of the vaccines from the European country, Kenya had only 5 000 vaccines remaining.
Nearly one million people have been vaccinated against the coronavirus since the inoculation exercise began in March this year.
