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Kenya received ultra-modern deep freezers from the Japanese government on September 7 for covid-19 vaccine storage. /MOSES MUOKI.

Corona Virus

Japan donates 12 ultra-modern deep freezers to Kenya for COVID vaccines

NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 7 – The COVID-19 vaccination roll-out in the country has received a major boost after the Japanese government donated a cold chain capacity infrastructure that includes 12 ultra-modern deep freezers.

The deep freezers with a 3 million dose capacity were handed to Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Tuesday.

He said the freezers will facilitate the storage of vaccines at at temperatures of up to -70 degrees.

Kagwe said three of the freezers will be stored at the central vaccine stores in Kitengala while the others while be distributed to the nine central stores in the country which include Nairobi, Nyeri and Kakamega.

“From the regional stores, these vaccine will be transported to selected vaccination posts at temperatures of plus 2 to plus 8 degrees as its common with other vaccines,” Kagwe said.

Vaccines like Pfizer from the US requires extreme cold temperatures for storage.

“We are extremely thankful to the Japanese government for this donation which will enable us store vaccines safely so as to vaccinate as many people as possible,” Kagwe said.

Kenya currently has AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson and Moderna vaccines and is expecting Pfizer from the US in the coming days.

“As a country we have refused to take up vaccines that have a short life line,” Kagwe said, “Pfizer will be stocked at facilities that can vaccinate 100 people per day.”

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United Postal Services Foundation has also donated 15 special insulated soft boxes which will enable the transportation of the vaccines to all the regional stores. 

“The quality and success of our vaccination program is dependent on the integrity of our cold chain. This places a huge responsibility on our officers at the National and County level to ensure these vaccines are administered as soon as possible to avoid loss of potency,” Kagwe said. 

The Health Ministry COVID-19 Taskforce Chairman Dr. Willis Akhwale clarified that the Pfizer vaccine will be stocked in facilities that can vaccinate 100 people consistently per day to avoid expiry of the vaccine at a time when the country is aiming to vaccinate 10 million people by December. 

“We will not stock the Pfizer vaccine in facilities that do not have a high volume. Counties have been asked to identify which facilities will stock Pfizers and once they are identified, we will designate them as the once that will be stocked with Pfizer as we ensure close monitoring,” said Akhwale. 

The Ministry of Health has announced plans to prioritize hotel staff, people aged 50 years and above and the over 18-year-olds with underlying medical conditions to get a jab,.

“We are concerned with the high mortality among the elderly. With the improved vaccine supply, I directed the priority group be expanded to include all persons above the 50 years age bracket,” Kagwe said.

With the vaccine hesitancy in some parts of the country, the health CS insisted that the country is not interested with those showing resistance in getting the vaccine since the jab is voluntary. 

“Those who don’t want to be vaccinated are not our problem. Our problem is those who want to be vaccinated and cannot gain access,” he said. 

He however, noted for civil servants they must exercise responsibility given their line of duty and be on the forefront in getting the jab. 

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“If you are a teacher and you don’t want to get vaccinated due to one reason or the other. Stop exposing the children. Leave that job and go do other duties,” Kagwe noted. 

Meanwhile, the ministry of Health has assured safety of the vaccine imported in the country insisting that they will not accept donations of vaccines that have a short shelf life. Currently the vaccines in the country are said to have a shelf life of six months. 

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