Kenya In Rush To Vaccinate 10m Kenyans Before End Of 2021. Here Is How

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 – The Inter-Religious Council of Kenya on Wednesday launched a campaign as part of sensitization efforts with the Ministry of Health that will now see places of worship nationwide establish vaccination centres within their premises.

The campaign dubbed, faith communities championing COVID-19 vaccination and prevention in Kenya, will ensure religious spaces are properly utilized during the vaccination drive with the government hoping to vaccinate 10 million Kenyans by the end of the year.

The agreement between the two, alongside other stakeholders including UNICEF, came amidst a government ultimatum encouraging Kenyans to be vaccinated before December 21, 2021.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had revealed that it will soon be obligatory for Kenyans to provide proof of vaccination in order to receive key services.

“Places of worship countrywide will be adopted and used for COVID-19 centers by the ministry of health for the next three months,” said Fr. Joseph Mutie, chairperson, IRCK.

As part of the proposed strategies that are expected to be implemented by December 21, 2021, every Kenyan seeking in-person government services will now be expected to be fully vaccinated while providing proof of vaccination.

In turn, Kenyans will now be incapable of accessing KRA services, Education, Immigration Services, Hospital, and Prison Visitation, NTSA and Port Services among others.

Also, Kenyans seeking access to hotels and restaurants as well as travelling on public transportation will be required to provide proof of vaccination.

“Let it not be the usual thing of waiting until the last minute for you to start rushing for your vaccine,’ Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said.

“If you do not want to be vaccinated that is fine with us…so you will be free to operate in a manner that you can, I am sure you will be creative in doing so but we can not risk the lives of many Kenyans because of the fact that one of two people do not wish to be vaccinated.”

Kagwe however said that Kenyans will not be forced to get vaccinated.

During the launch of the vaccination campaign, the religious leaders also revealed that certain places of worship had already set up vaccination centres.

“We could have started this earlier when the vaccination drive first started in the country but it is better late than never. We will talk to Kenyans and encourage them to get vaccinated,” said SUPKEM Chairman Hassan Ole-Nado.

Kenya is this week expected to receive a boost in its vaccination efforts, with the United States government set to donate another 1.2 million doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

“I heard from the Christian denomination that faith & science work together for humanity; from the Islamic denomination a calling to protect our families & communities; from the Hindu denomination that the world is our family, no one is safe till everyone is safe,” said Maniza Zaman, UNICEF representative,Kenya.

As of December 7, 2021, a total of 7,787,262 vaccines had been administered across the country.

Of these, 4,724,235 were partially vaccinated while those fully vaccinated were 3,055,726.