Shed light on vaccine deal with private sector

More than a year after the first case of Covid-19 was reported, the disease continues to wreak havoc.

While observing the Ministry of Health containment measures has slowed down the rate of infection, this is not enough to contain the disease.

Although the new Delta variant is complicating matters, the rate of infection in countries that have vaccinated the bulk of their populations has dropped drastically. There is no doubt that vaccination is the way out of this nightmare.

So far, only two per cent of Kenyans have been vaccinated. Around 70 per cent of the population needs to be immunised for us to achieve herd immunity. At the pace we are going, it might take long before that happens.

Perhaps that’s why the government, after long reluctance, has decided to allow the private sector to import Covid-19 vaccines. Unfortunately, reports about this plan are coming from the private sector. The government is yet to speak about it, which raises many questions.

While allowing the private sector to join this noble initiative can help speed up the vaccination, there have been fears that it can open avenues for monkey business.

It is not far-fetched that some individuals may seek to reap from the vaccines. In Uganda, 800 people were recently reported to have been injected with water instead of vaccine.

After the alleged Kenya Medical Supplies Authority scandal, no one should be allowed to make a killing from this pandemic again. If the government has decided to engage the private sector, it must ensure that only the approved vaccines are imported and when that is done, they should be made available to the public at affordable rates.

Greed must not be allowed to mar this life-saving exercise.