The government, through the Ministry of Health (MOH), has announced plans to provide Kenyans with Mpox vaccines in a bid to curb the threat of the disease across the country.
Speaking during a press briefing on Monday, August 19, Health Director General (DG) Patrick Amoth revealed that the government plans to procure 2 million vaccine doses from the Denmark-based Nordic manufacturing company by December.
Amoth explained that once the doses arrive, government will prioritize the most vulnerable groups, similar to the approach used during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“At one point we shall bring back vaccines in the country. You heard when the Africa CDC declared the effects, they said Africa requires 10 million doses of vaccine.” said the health DG.
“We are assured by the Nordic manufacturer that by the end of the year, we will have about 2 million doses,” he said.
MOH Clarifies on the Vaccine Allocation
He however clarified that the vaccines will not be available to everyone due to their scarcity and limited availability.
“But the vaccine will not be for everybody because of the scarcity in terms of availability so we will prioritize the population to be put at the forefront for vaccine administration,” said Patrick Amoth.
Also Read: Govt Gives Update on Mpox Outbreak After Confirming First Case
The announcement comes after the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) last week declared Mpox a public health emergency.
Amoth also mentioned that the strain identified as clade 1b is more transmissible and thus poses a greater threat that calls for immediate intervention from health organizations.
To mitigate the outbreak, the health DG said that the government plans to sequence the virus so as to determine the genetic composition of the variant.
Other interventions include heightened surveillance at every point of entry and further training of health workers on how to identify and diagnose the disease.
Furthermore, he revealed that the ministry has four dedicated laboratories for testing Mpox cases, with an additional 100 labs available for support if needed. Rapid response teams are also in place to tackle any suspected cases.
Government Efforts to Mitigate the Mpox Outbreak
Moreover, Health CS Deborah Barasa reassured the public that the government is taking necessary measures to address the Mpox outbreak and protect the health and safety of all Kenyans.
She confirmed that as of Monday, the government has screened over 300,000 travelers at the country’s borders and tested 29 suspected cases, all of whom have tested negative.
Also Read: Govt Issues Update on Patient Who Tested Positive for Mpox
“Testing of suspected cases is currently being conducted at the Ministry of Health National Public Health Laboratories (NPHL) in collaboration with partner institutions such as KEMRI,” Health CS Deborah Barasa said.
She also said that Counties have responded to the disease threat by activating their emergency response mechanisms.
The health CS explained that already 25 County Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs) were currently active and providing coordinated efforts.
“All counties have been directed to activate their Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) for case investigation and contact tracing,” she said.
Follow our WhatsApp Channel for real-time news updates:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaB3k54HltYFiQ1f2i2C
