NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 16 – The Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has called on the government to create a COVID-19 vaccine policy to help manage present and future pandemics.
The union urged both the National and County governments to review the National Policy Guidelines on Immunization (2013) to enhance access of vaccines to every private healthcare facility.
KMPDU noted the move will ensure the facilities have the right capacity to provide equitable access of vaccines to every Kenyan.
“A Covid-19 vaccination policy would provide guidance on Covid-19 and similar pandemics now and in the future, and both actions (review of guidelines and creation of policy) will also help liberalize the national vaccination process and enhance equitable access to vaccines,” a KMPDU policy recommendations document read.
The union also urged government to invest more in vaccine storage facilities at the subnational levels in order to address supply chain challenges in vaccine provision to individuals.
KMPDU also asked the government to empower the Pharmacy and Poisons Board to accelerate COVID-19 vaccines procured outside the COVAX facility.
The union noted that the intervention would help accelerate the country’s vaccination campaign targeting 10 million adult by December 25.
The country has received a total of over 22 million vaccines through the COVAX facility with an estimated 8 million of them utilized.
Additionally, KMPDU called for the allocation of more resources to the health sector in order to support healthcare workers at all levels and measures should be put in place to ensure transparent and accountable use of COVID-19 resources.
“The government should set up systems of monitoring Covid-19 vaccines safety and prompt reporting of adverse events by the ministry,” they added.
They union further called on the government to deploy more effective public communication strategies to ensure vaccine information put out to the public is simplified and easier to understand.
KMPDU recommended “generation of popular and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials that simplify complex vaccine information to a non-medical public,” to realize effective public communication.