Kisumu Governor, Prof. Anyang Nyong’o has decried the slow uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine which was rolled out in the area on Monday.
Prof. Nyong’o said that out of the projected 2000 people expected to take the jabs by Thursday only 503 turned up for the vaccination at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital (JOOTRH).
The Governor who took the jab at the facility Thursday urged health workers and frontline officers to take the jab in order to control further spread of the virus.
He attributed the poor uptake to most frontline workers being busy and in far-flung areas across the county and so could not converge at JOOTRH for the jabs.
This, he observed, may force the County government to change their strategy by going to the stations where the workers were. He added that in JOOTRH for example, the team may be forced to go floor-by-floor.
Prof. Nyong’o singled out journalists and security officers to follow suit since they are among the frontline workers being targeted.
He echoed a proposal by the Council of Governors (CoG) that respective counties leverage on technological advancement to facilitate the vaccination exercise to capture the targeted number.
The Governor and his executive members were among the first people to get vaccinated. In total 163 got the jabs Thursday alone excluding the governor’s entourage.
Prof. Nyong’o cautioned the public to take note of the aggressiveness of the third wave of the Covid -19 which is said to be even stronger than the First and Second waves.
He reassured the public over the safety of the vaccines pointing out that if it wasn’t so even the Governor and his team couldn’t have taken the leap of faith to get the jabs.
Photograph by Pauline Ikanda
Meanwhile Trans Nzoia governor Patrick Khaemba and area county commissioner Samson Ojwang were the first to receive the Covid-19 vaccination at Mt. Elgon hospital.
Others who received the jab include deputy governor Dr. Stanley Kenei, CEC members, county security team and departmental heads from National government and members of the press.
Khaemba said that he was the first to receive the vaccine to allay fears about its safety from members of the public.
“The vaccine is safe and we have assurance from our technical teams both local and nationally and just want to tell residents of the county that we are going towards the right direction as a county,” he said.
Trans Nzoia received 6,000 doses that will be given mainly to health care workers during the first phase of immunization.
He said that all people who will receive the vaccine will be pre-registered for the second follow up jab that will come up in two months.
CEC in charge of Health Claire Wanyama said that at least 20 people have died of Covid-19 virus since it broke out in the county.
by KNA Team
