NAIROBI, Kenya
Some 526,553 Kenyans have received the Covid-19 jab since the vaccination drive began last month.
By Monday 526,026 had been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine while another 527 got the Sputnik V vaccine.
Sputnik V vaccine is suspended, but the Ministry of Health said the 527 people will get the second dose.
Those vaccinated are 229,118 women (44 per cent) and 296,724 men (56 per cent).
The Health Ministry had distributed 999,000 doses to the nine regional vaccine depots with 121,000 remaining at the national vaccine store in Kitengela.
Healthcare workers account for 23 per cent of those vaccinated, totalling 122,984.
Some 76,753 teachers have been vaccinated while security officers and persons aged above 58 years number 42,343 and 283,966 respectively.
"Seventeen per cent of the phase one target have so far been vaccinated with 59 per cent of healthcare workers vaccinated,” a report from the ministry states.
Nairobi leads with the number of people vaccinated at 171,504 accounting for 32.6 per cent.
Nakuru comes second with 28,456 followed by Uasin Gishu with 26,720. Kiambu has vaccinated 22,407, Nyeri 18,092, Kisumu 14,700, Kajiado 14,651, Kakamega 13,454, Murang’a 13,273, Mombasa 13,264, Meru 10,693, Laikipia 10,494, Trans Nzoia 10,405 and Bungoma with 10,103.
Nandi county has inoculated 9,442, Nyandarua 9,002, Kirinyaga 8,679, Machakos 8,546, Embu 8337, Kitui 7,995, Homa Bay 7,945, Kisii 7,872, Kericho 7,536, Vihiga 6,972, Busia 5,930, Baringo 5,336, Siaya 5,017, Bomet 4,788, Elgeyo Marakwet 4,781, Nyamira 4,613, Narok 3,924, Makueni 3,689, Tharaka Nithi 3,529 with Kilifi closing the number of counties that have vaccinated at least 3,000 people after reaching 3,476 people.
Others are Samburu with 2,632, Migori 2,625, West Pokot 2,325, Turkana 2,208, Taita Taveta 2,047 Wajir 1,799, Garissa 1,487, Kwale 1,398, Isiolo 1,274 and Mandera 1,149.
Tana River, Marsabit and Lamu have the lowest numbers with 603, 434 and 420 people vaccinated respectively.
"A total of 263 adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) have been reported and no fatality reported so far,” the report states.
The Eldoret depot that serves Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and West Pokot counties has 44,751 doses in stock.
Nakuru depot serving Bomet, Kericho, Nakuru, Nyandarua and Samburu counties has 57,487 doses in stock.
Kakamega depot has 37,869 doses and it serves Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega and Vihiga counties.
Garissa region still has 10,809 doses for Garissa while Nyeri depot has 7,654 doses in stock for Embu, Kirinyaga, Laikipia and Nyeri counties has.
Kisumu depot has 55,622 vaccine doses in stock. The depot serves Homa Bay, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira and Siaya counties.
Meru region depot has stock totalling 17,888 doses for Isiolo, Marsabit, Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties.
Nairobi depot serves Kajiado, Kiambu, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Murang’a, and Narok counties and has 154,524 doses.
Mombasa regional depot has 42,166 vaccines and serves Kilifi, Kwale, Lamu, Mombasa, Taita Taveta and Tana River counties. Mandera, Turkana and Wajir depots have 4,851, 6,292 and 3,901 doses respectively.
There are concerns about accessing the next consignment of vaccines due to the export restrictions placed by India on the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The government has said plans are in place to ensure that all those who have received the first dose of the vaccine get the second without delay.
Head of national vaccines and immunisation programme Dr Collins Tabu said the government is trying to fully administer all the doses available before their expiration date.
"We want to reach as many people within the priority groups as quickly as possible with at least one dose and then follow up with the second dose to complete the two dose schedule,” Tabu said.
Covid-19 vaccines have short expiry dates of between three and six months.
"For now we do know that the supply is interrupted because of global supply and demand issues but we can say that this will be sorted out in the near future so we want to achieve the maximum throughput for these vaccines that we have and so that we don’t waste even a single dose,” Tabu said.
He said the first dose is as equally protective as the second dose.
"We should count ourselves lucky that even with the one dose of Covid-19 vaccines you are protected to an upwards of 76 per cent until you receive the second dose so we shouldn’t be wary and we can’t get the first dose when I am not assured of the second dose,” Tabu said.
Tabu said the government is monitoring and engaging to schedule the shipments such that Kenyans are within time to receive the second dose of the vaccine within the eight to 12 weeks interval. - The Star
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