Government Says Kenyans Could Start Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine This Month

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe says Kenyans could begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines as early as this month. 

Kagwe said the first batch of the jabs is on the way and is expected to arrive in the country before the end of this month courtesy of the private sector.

“We are engaging institutions like GAVI, who gave us the date of February. But it is quite possible that with the private sector, we can get the vaccines earlier than the date GAVI has given us,” Kagwe said.

The country is expected to receive 24 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX facility for free in February.

COVAX was created by several organizations including GAVI, CEPI, and WHO to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and guaranteeing fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

The facility is expected to deliver two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines for millions of people mainly in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific by the end of 2021.

The government has also ordered an additional 12 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at a cost of Sh10 billion, according to Health director-general Patrick Amoth.

The Health Ministry said the vaccines will be first issued to frontline workers and those at high risk of contracting COVID-19.

About 430,000 healthcare workers will be the first to be immunized followed by Kenyans aged above 50 years who are approximated to be 5.3 million.

Others who will be given priority in vaccinations include teachers, uniformed security forces, and Kenyans with pre-existing medical conditions.

“We are not just looking at one vaccine. We are engaging on the Africa platform, with CDC Africa and having discussions on Moderna and even China’s Sinopharm,” added CS Kagwe.