Additional 407,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses donated by the UK arrive in Kenya
Additional 407,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine donated by the UK under the COVAX facility and transported by UNICEF arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, in Nairobi yesterday at around 10 PM. The vaccines were donated by the United Kingdom Government. This brings the total number of vaccines donated recently to Kenya by the United Kingdom to 817,000 doses.
Ministry of Health Acting Director-General Dr. Patrick Amoth, British Deputy High Commissioner Julius Court, UNICEF Chief of Health Yaron Wolman, and WHO Health Specialist Sergon Kibet received the vaccines at the airport with Dr. Amoth noting that the second batch of vaccines are intended to boost the national COVID-19 vaccination program and support the ongoing rollout of the COVID vaccines to health workers, teachers other essential workers, and Kenyans older than 58 years,
“The vaccines we have received today will greatly support our target to vaccinate 10 million adults by the end of December 2021. We are therefore very grateful to the United Kingdom Government for this generous donation,” he said.
In July, the UK government donated another 410,000 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19. Yesterday while receiving the second batch, British Deputy High Commissioner Julius Court was delighted that the shipment of the total donation of 817,000 COVID-19 vaccines promised had arrived in Kenya.
“The donation was agreed in President Kenyatta’s visit to London last month, and just last week the High Commissioner saw some of those vaccines in arms in Nairobi at the Lions SightFirst clinic, serving vulnerable communities nearby in Kangemi. We’ve had an extremely strong partnership with Kenya tackling this pandemic, from donating vaccines, support on genomic sequencing to track new variants, to trials of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the UK and Kenya,” he said.
The rollout of the national COVID-19 vaccination campaign is being led by the Ministry of Health (MoH), with support from WHO, UNICEF, Gavi, and other partners. As well as procuring and transporting COVID-19 vaccines, UNICEF is supporting MoH in the distribution of the vaccines, procuring, deploying, and managing the vaccines’ cold chain equipment. UNICEF and WHO are also supporting MoH with planning, technical support, capacity building, risk communication, and community engagement.
“UNICEF is committed and remains a steadfast partner to the Government of Kenya in its efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Once again, we are delighted to offer our full support in the transport and logistical arrangements for getting vital COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya and quickly distributing them within,” UNICEF Chief of Health Yaron Wolman said.
Yaron Wolman added that vaccines are the game changers in the efforts to end the COVID-19 crisis and not anyone would be safe until everyone else is especially with new and more infectious variants of the virus emerging. He reiterated vaccine equity as essential for leveling the playing field and ensure that everyone at risk from COVID-19 gets vaccinated, wherever they are. The World Health Organisation, meanwhile, urged the public to maintain public health measures while the national vaccination campaign continues to be rolled out.
“Thanks to this donation from the UK, Kenyans have yet another opportunity to get either their first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. We urge all identified groups, to take advantage of it and help us to come closer to ending this pandemic. Getting vaccinated is a choice and responsibility and I can assure all Kenyans that these vaccines are safe and effective. It is also essential that we continue with public health measures such as mask-wearing, regular hand washing, social distancing, and avoiding congested spaces and gatherings,” said WHO Health Specialist, Sergon Kibet.
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