Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentist Council (KMPDC) has been directed by the Ministry of Health to deregister all facilities charging for Covid-19 vaccination.
Speaking during the Covid-19 briefing at Afya House, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe noted that some health facilities are charging for administering vaccines instead of giving the jab for free.
Kagwe said that administration of vaccines should be done by qualified staff who have received recent training from the ministry.
“…It’s immoral and disturbing to see some politicians have begun to politicise the vaccination process for their own gains. We ask KMPDC to immediately begin to deregister institutions that are charging citizens or conducting the vaccinations unlawfully,” he said.
He advised Kenyans to deliberately refuse to pay for vaccines.
“Let them vaccinate you and refuse to pay. At which point, you should report so that we can deregister the institution,” Kagwe said.
Additionally, Kagwe cautioned against fake vaccination stations.
“There are those carrying out health camps with stolen vaccines,” he said.
“This is not going to be tolerated. Because it is our own people we are endangering.”
Acting Health Director General Patrick Amoth warned that the illegal vaccine administration may lead to adverse side effects depending on the environment in which they were administered.
“We urge everyone to get vaccines only from designated arear approved by the ministry, otherwise, you will likely get adverse events such as Anaphylaxis (a life threatening allergic reactions). Health workers should ensure fidelity to the oath that they took and should not be swayed by politicians,” he said.
On importation of vaccines, Kagwe said that companies that wish to import Covid-19 vaccines are free to do so but must channel all their purchases through the Health Ministry under their umbrella body, the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa).
However, he warned that such imports would not be sold for profit noting that the government’s policy on free administration of the life-saving jabs would not change.