NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2- The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) has called on the government to protect and prioritize the wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic which is on its fourth wave in the country.
In a statement, the Association President Were Onyino urged the Ministry of Health to ensure that doctors and other healthcare workers have access to adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), access to vaccines, and psychological support.
“Our frontline health workers are tirelessly giving themselves to the nation, to help manage this pandemic. KMA urges all frontline health workers to ensure that they protect themselves with high-quality PPES while at work. Use of technology like telemedicine, and the reduction of elective surgeries and procedures will also be helpful,” he said.
He further urged County Governments to ensure that healthcare facilities have functional isolation spaces equipped with adequate Intensive Care Units ICU).
“KMA urges the Ministry of Health to accelerate the acquisition and deployment of vaccines in the country. These vaccines should be issued to as many health facilities as possible, public, private, and faith-based, to ensure increased access by the public,” Onyino added.
The medical association further urged all eligible Kenyans to present themselves for vaccination in order to slow the spread of the virus.
By August 1, the country had recorded 203,680 COVID-19 infections with 3,946 fatalities and 189, 131 recoveries.
A total of 1.7 million people had been vaccinated.
Kenya’s vaccination campaign against COVID-19 got a major boost Saturday after receiving 410, 000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the United Kingdom.
The consignment was received at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi alongside British Deputy High Commissioner to Kenya Josephine Gauld among other top government officials.
The donation is part of 817,000 doses that President Uhuru Kenyatta secured during his three-day visit to London this week.
Gauld; “The consignment is the first batch of the 817,000 doses for Kenya with a further donation of 407,000 doses from the UK expected in the country via the COVAX facility.”
The remaining half of the doses which were donated through the COVAX facility were expected to arrive in the country in the coming days ahead.
Kenya just like many African countries has only vaccinated less than 1.5 percent of its population. Kenya is also expecting to receive 1,760,000 doses of Pfizer from the US government.
A further 235,000 doses of AstraZeneca are expected in the country from Greece with an extra 55,000 doses of AstraZeneca set to arrive in the country from Lativia as part of bilateral donations.
The Covax facility has also allocated to Kenya 407,040 doses of AstraZeneca and 271,440 doses of Pfizer. This besides the 13 million doses of Johnson and Johnson, procured by the government through the AVAT-AU mechanism, whose delivery will start this month.
About The Author
