North Eastern Women Ready to Receive Health Vaccine
The Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium (Keprecon), through the Championing Evidence-Based Advocacy (CEBA) for Primary Health Care (PHC) and Reproductive Maternal Neonatal Child and Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNNCAH+N), has urged Northeastern Religious Leaders to advocate for the HPV vaccination among the women living in pastoralist areas
Speaking during a press brief in a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium Executive Director Prof. Fred Were, flanked by Mandera County Deputy Governor Dr Ali Maalim, disclosed that the said vaccines had been rejected in northern areas owing to their cultural beliefs but they have talked to their women and ready to administer to all girls starting from the age of nine to 45 years of age.
‘‘As an expert in child matters, we urge the leaders to talk to their people to accept the roll out of the exercise being carried by the Ministry of Health for the good health of their people. The vaccine is aimed at preventing human papilloma virus which causes cervical cancer, and other genital warts and it’s recommended for preteens and can be given up to age of forty-five years,’’ Prof. Fred Were stated.
Were, said that the vaccine is most effective when given before sexually activity begins, but it still offers protection if given later.
The meeting also aimed at addressing and clarifying cultural and religious concerns around the HPV vaccine to foster community acceptance and strengthen the role of religious leaders as advocates for HP vaccination uptake within their counties, which had received a lot of backlashes
Deputy Governor of Mandera Dr. Ali Maalim, noted that they have lost a number of women in the three counties namely, Isiolo, Mandera, Wajir and Garrisa over the cancerous diseases
‘‘We have been told so many things about our historical injustices but it is the highest opportune to forgo all those stories and advocate for these preventive measures. As a community, we have lost many lives over these HPV,’’ Maalim said.
Maalim said that the three county health departments have agreed to work closely with the ministry of health to ensure the vaccination is carried out hundred per cent to all targeted age groups
Wajir County First Lady Rukia Abdinasir, also appealed to teenagers and all mothers living in those areas to come out in large numbers to get the crucial vaccination within the timelines that the government has specified.
‘‘I want to urge mothers from my county of Wajir, Isiolo, Mandera and Garissa to let their girl child get the vaccination and all other women up to the age of 45 because we have understood the importance of this immunization lest we continue losing our people without preventing some of curable diseases,’’ Rukia advised.
The consortium underscored that the reason for the lack of information by these communities may stem from not being informed.
By Joan Ogolla
