Public health practitioners in Nyamira County have accelerated the Covid-19 vaccination exercise in a bid to contain the dreaded disease which is gradually attacking and killing people without their knowledge.
Nyamira South sub County Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Julius Otieno while steering the exercise at Miruka market on Wednesday urged unvaccinated residents to take advantage of the enhanced free vaccination exercise taking place in the entire county to take the jab and guard themselves against the attack from the disease.
“We lost lives of our loved ones when the spread of the disease was at its peak in 2020 and stringent health operation protocols in regard to the disease have been relaxed by people after lock down curfew directives were lifted; we have again started experiencing the upsurge of those infected,” said the DCC.
He observed that people have totally ignored the health protocol regulations to guard themselves against being infected with the disease like avoiding close physical mingling, wearing of face masks, and avoiding direct handshakes, the reason we all must be vaccinated to safeguard ourselves from sudden attacks.
“You are advised to take two doses of a jab of your choice and then get a booster jab to be fully protected from attack from the disease, therefore take advantage of this time when our public health practitioners are going round to various public gatherings in our villages and ensure you are vaccinated for your good health and life matter,” Otieno advised.
Nyamira County Executive Committee Member (CEC) for health, Gladys Momanyi thanked the national government for its unwavering support in mobilizing people to take the jab, a drive which has enabled their department of health move towards the right direction in achieving their county targets.
“In Nyamira County we have already vaccinated 122,000 people out of a targeted 377,000, a positive trend which gives us hope and assurance that by December we shall have achieved our target,” she said.
“We have at the same time lowered the vaccination age of children from 14 to 12 and I’m therefore encouraging parents with children who have attained 12 years and above and not vaccinated yet to bring their children for the vaccination,” Momanyi urged.
She further thanked the partners from AMREF for their unwavering support in the vaccination exercise because they are enabling health workers doing the vaccination move round villages and public places courtesy of a free mobile wagon which has been around since June 24.
Mr. Dickson Gitari, an officer from AMREF Africa said that they are working closely with the Ministry of health to support them in ensuring that all eligible citizens in Kenya are vaccinated to cushion our country from the adverse psychological and social-economic impact this disease has once it attacks.
He assured that the wagon will move in the entire county for the vaccination exercise to ensure that Nyamira County achieves its target.
The Covid 19 disease is still a global threat and economies globally are still grappling to recover from its continued effects because reports of new cases of infected people including Kenya are still being reported daily the reason why vaccination is emphasized to all to be safeguarded from this disease with no cure yet.
By Deborah Bochere
