Amref Health Africa and AstraZeneca, in conjunction with Kenya’s Ministry of Health (MoH), are developing a fleet of Mobile Vaccination Clinics (MVCs) to safeguard last-mile populations from the epidemic.
The 10 mobile clinics will offer COVID-19 vaccines and other health services to Kenya’s most remote villages.
The initiative will help increase vaccine access and uptake in Kenya.
As of 17 June 2022, 31.4% of the adult population in Kenya is fully vaccinated against COVID-19[1], while Africa’s average vaccination rate is 17.7% lagging behind other world regions[2].
Each mobile clinic aims to vaccinate 70-100 people per day reaching up to 1,000 people per day once all 10 mobile clinics are fully operational.
The mobile clinics will help to bridge the COVID-19 vaccine gap by providing vaccine education, COVID-19 screening, safe and accessible vaccination, and post-immunisation care.
Operated in partnership with the County Health Departments, and adhering to health and infection prevention control standards, the custom-built clinics are fitted with solar-powered fridges and backup power supply.
Timely data capture and reporting is facilitated through onsite web-enabled computers. Amref Flying Doctors (AFD) will replenish the mobile clinics in hard-to-reach areas to ensure their effective deployment.
Dr. Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO Amref Health Africa, said: “It is evident that health emergencies are here to stay, and thinking out of the box through innovations in health may be our only chance at timely response if, and when emergencies occur,”
“Ultimately, the clinics will add to the health system infrastructure, further improving our preparedness for health emergencies in the country.”
Dr Pelin Incesu, Area Vice President, AstraZeneca for the Middle East and Africa said, “We are thrilled to launch this innovative partnership with the Ministry of Health and Amref Health Africa to ensure that no Kenyan is left behind in our efforts to protect lives from COVID-19 and other life-threatening diseases.”
As Kenya integrates vaccination services into primary health care, the clinics will integrate health promotion to raise awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and provide NCD health service continuity, specifically targeting people living with diabetes and hypertension.
When not conducting community outreach, the clinics will support existing public health infrastructure by serving as fixed clinics, thereby reducing the burden on local health facilities.
