Kenya offered free COVID-19 vaccines to all diplomats based there, including thousands of United Nations staff members, although he did not vaccinate his own health workers, other front-line staff or the elderly, and received criticism from local medics.
The offer was made in a letter dated March 18 sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to diplomatic missions and seen by the news agency Reuters.
Macharia Kamau, the secretary general of the foreign ministry, said the shots on offer were routed through the World Health Organization’s (WHO) COVAX access system.
Kenya, where nearly 2,000 people died from COVID-19, is struggling with a third wave and the Ministry of Health reported 28 deaths on Friday, the highest daily toll since the pandemic.
“We must protect everyone living in Kenya. It only made sense to reach out not only to Kenyans but also to the international community here, ‘Kamau said.
Kamau said Kenyans in priority categories are still being vaccinated, but the decision is in line with Kenya’s responsibilities as home to a large diplomatic community.
He estimates that 25,000 to 30,000 diplomats, UN staff and family members live in Nairobi. ‘We are the only United Nations headquarters in the global South. Once you have this kind of honor, it holds a certain responsibility. ‘
Nairobi is hosting the UN headquarters in Africa. The UN Office in Nairobi (UNON) is one of four major websites worldwide, where many UN agencies such as the children’s agency UNICEF and others have large attendances.
Just over 28,000 health workers, teachers and security personnel got their first shots, the Ministry of Health said in a message on March 19 on Twitter.
It is said in early March that it will set aside 400,000 vaccines for health workers and other essential workers.
A woman receives the AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccine under the COVAX scheme against coronavirus (COVID-19) at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi [File: Monicah Mwangi/Reuters]
“I think the government needs to focus on getting the priority population vaccinated and getting them vaccinated before they open up to diplomats,” said Elizabeth Gitau, a Kenyan doctor and chief executive officer of the Kenyan Medical Association.
The Ministry of Health referred questions to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Two diplomats in Nairobi who did not want to be identified confirmed to Reuters that their embassies had received the offer.
“Kenyans must be given priority,” said Chibanzi Mwachonda, head of the Kenyan Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dental Union.
According to the government, vaccinations started on March 23 and only accredited diplomats and their families are eligible.
Kenya has so far received only two groups of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines – just over one million via COVAX and a donation of 100,000 shots from the Indian government.
COVAX is set up to ensure that vaccines are available to high-risk and vulnerable people, as well as front-line healthcare workers, in countries that cannot buy shots in the highly competitive international market.
The WHO referred Reuters to the UNON and the Kenyan government when asked for comment.
Newton Kanhema, spokesperson for UNON, confirmed that he had received the offer and was going to take over the government. He said that UNON has about 20,000 staff members and dependents, but many children and therefore are not eligible.
“Why does the Kenyan government prioritize expats – who have money and can get the vaccines through their own channels – over its own population, especially the poor?” said one of the diplomats whose embassy received the jabs offer.