Kenya received 880,460 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Monday morning.

The vaccines arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 6:15 am.

This is the first shipment of 1.76 million doses donated by the United States Government to boost the vaccination program in the country.

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The donations were made via the COVAX facility and transported by UNICEF.

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Senior government officials led by Ministry of Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr Mercy Mwangangi and Principal Secretary (PS) Susan Mochache were at JKIA to receive the consignment

Mochache thanked the US Government and said the donations will go a long way in supporting Kenya’s efforts to reach the target of vaccinating 10 million adults by December.

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“We are very grateful to the US Government for this generous donation of Moderna vaccines,” Mochache said.

“This will greatly support the ongoing rollout of Kenya’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign and help us reach the target announced by His Excellency President Kenyatta to vaccinate 10 million Kenyans by the end of December 2021,” she added.

Mochache also said that Members of the public will receive available vaccines at the health centre they visit, upon registration in the Chanjo System, Portal.health.go.ke.

Also present at JKIA was US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Eric Kneedler, UNICEF Representative to Kenya Maniza Zaman and World Health Organization (WHO) Officer in Charge, Health System Cluster Lead Dr Mona Almudhwahi.

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US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim, Eric Kneedler said the donation builds on the US partnership with Kenya in response to COVID-19. 

He also said the vaccines are important in the fight against the pandemic.

“These life-saving vaccines will fill an important need at a critical time in Kenya’s fight against this pandemic,” Kneedler said.

UNICEF Representative to Kenya Maniza Zaman encouraged all Kenyans eligible to get vaccinated as it is safe.

“All vaccines available through COVAX are safe and effective and I would urge all Kenyans to get vaccinated as soon as advised to do so by the Ministry of Health,” said Zaman.

The Moderna vaccines will widen the portfolio of COVID-19 available in the country.

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The government plans to vaccinate 10 million people by the close of the year with 26 million people expected to have been vaccinated by the end of next year. Already 2.9 per cent of the entire adult population has been vaccinated.