COVID-19: Patrick Amoth Becomes First To Get Vaccine In Kenya

Health Acting Director-General Patrick Amoth became the first person in Kenya to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Amoth was injected with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi in full view of the cameras.

“We will offer ourselves to be vaccinated today (Friday). Let us portray the correct message to the public,” he announced.

Dr Collins Tabu, head of the Ministry of Health Division for Vaccines and Immunization Programme (DVI) was next in line to receive the vaccine. He was followed by a nurse at the hospital.

Those vaccinated were asked to rest for 30 minutes before being discharged from the hospital.

Following the launch at KNH, the vaccination exercise is set to begin in all county referral hospitals.

“It is our responsibility to ensure all the health care workers get support. This may mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic," Health PS Susan Mochache stated.

The roll-out of the vaccination program was flagged off by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday, March 4. Uhuru assured that the jab had passed all the necessary tests and had the stamp of approval from medical experts. 

The first batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine landed in the country on Tuesday night, March 2 onboard a Qatar Airways flight QR1341, and will be given to 500,000 people on a first-come, first-serve basis with the priority being health workers.