Leaders in Makueni County have been urged to enhance Covid-19 sensitization campaign to reach all those who have not been vaccinated against the pandemic.
Makueni County Health and Education Promotion Officer Bretta Mutisya said the move will increase immunity among the residents, hence saving enormous resources that the county would have used to meet the high cost of Covid-19 treatment.
Mutisya said the County is currently ranked 26 out of the 47 counties in terms of Covid 19 vaccination, with only 192,843 residents fully vaccinated, translating to 34 percent of the population. He added over 700,000 people were eligible for the vaccine in the area.
“I urge the Governor and all the elected leaders including Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) together with our religious and community leaders to be on the forefront in encouraging residents to get vaccinated against Covid-19,” said Mutisya during Covid-19 Media engagement meeting at Makueni County Referral Hospital Boardroom in Wote Wednesday.
She said the sub counties that have recorded low Covid-19 vaccine uptake include Kaiti, Mbooni and Kilome, adding they are collaborating with USAID through Anglican Development Services-Eastern in reaching out to boda boda operators and other residents of these areas to ensure they are vaccinated.
Mutisya lauded both levels of government for the concerted efforts in fighting the pandemic and urged chiefs and their assistants, county Administration and Community Health workers to also step up efforts in sensitizing the public on Covid -19.
“Everyone should participate in encouraging residents to get vaccinated, I urge chiefs, county administrators, religious and community leaders to continue encouraging the residents to get vaccinated at their nearest health centres,” she added.
While decrying the low uptake of the vaccines by the youth owing to the lies spread via social media, Mutisya assured them that all Covid-19 vaccines are safe for everyone.
She said all the vaccines including the boosters have been approved by World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and appealed to all those, who are yet to vaccinated in the region to go for the jab at their nearest health institutions.
Mutisya regretted that 94,000 local youths aged between 18 and 29 years who received the first dose, defaulted the second dose.
By Ronald Rono
