The Health Department in Siaya has embarked on the village to village outreach programme targeting the vulnerable members of the community with the Covid-19 vaccine.
Through the programme, nurses and health workers undertaking vaccination have been walking across the village in the country in search of the elderly and other populations at risk whom they administer the vaccine.
Speaking to the Kenya News Agency at Barding village in South East Alego where the team was on an outreach programme, a registered nurse who works in the programme, Harriet Awuor said that so far, the programme has reached over 1,900 members of the targeted group.
She said that among those targeted were the old, security officers and other populations at risk.
“For the last two weeks, we have been having the village to village out reaches where we target the old people,” said Awuor, adding that during such occasions, they also administer vaccines to teachers who are yet to be vaccinated too.
Among the beneficiaries of today’s outreach programme was a 100 year old Mrs. Francisca Omanyo Madowo, who thanked the health workers for visiting the aged to administer the vaccine.
Madowo, the grandmother to journalist, Larry Madowo, called on the elderly not to fear the vaccine.
Another beneficiary, 71 year old Gilbert Oiye Ong’ombe, said the decision to come up with the outreach programme was timely as it would ensure more people who could otherwise not make it to the vaccination points due to several challenges to benefit.
Among those who were vaccinated were teachers at Stephan Academy, who urged Kenyans to disregard negative rumours about the vaccination exercise.
By Philip Onyango
