KENYA: Catholic Bishops maintain their position against non-certified vaccines
Chairman of Catholic Health Commission Rt. Rev. Paul Kariuki (left) accompanied by Vice Chairman of the Commission Rt. Rev. Joseph Mbatia answering questions from the press in regard with the Church's stand on Vaccination campaigns
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB), Health Commission has once again voiced its opposition to the continued immunization campaigns spearheaded by the Ministry of Health. The Commission maintains that there is no cause for alarm hence the campaigns are unnecessary.
In an interview with the media, The Chairman of Catholic Health Commission of Kenya Rt. Rev Paul Kariuki Njiru said that targeting women between the age of 14 and 49 years of age raises suspicion on what could be the agenda of the government in collaboration with UNICEF and WHO.
(left) accompanied by Vice Chairman of the Commission
Rt. Rev. Joseph Mbatia answering questions from
the press in regard with the Church’s
stand on Vaccination campaigns
Bishop Kariuki who is the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Embu further condemned the use of force during the vaccination campaigns. He lamented that out of the nine samples of Tetanus Toxoid vaccine (TT) tested in 2014, three were found to be laced with Beta human chorionic gonadotropin (b-HCG) sub unit which has been previously used in similar programs in Philippines, Nicaragua and Mexico to vaccinate women against future pregnancy.
“The danger is enormous, and we cannot play it down. Why vaccinate women within the child bearing age? When the generation is destroyed we will regret.” He said warning that there could be a possible collusion between the government and foreign agencies to control the population of Kenya.
Bishop Kariuki emphasised that the Church is a major player in the health sector with extensive network of health facilities that include 58 hospitals, 83 health centres, 311 dispensaries and 17 medical training institutions and hence the need to protect the lives of Kenyans by ensuring that vaccines are well tested by a committee of experts from the government and stakeholders before they are administered to the public clarifying that the Church is not against the regular vaccinations administered in hospitals.
Adding his voice to these concerns, the Commission’s Vice-Chairman Rt. Rev. Joseph Mbatia who is the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Nyahururu questioned the secret behind the vaccinations such that the government cannot reveal to the Church and other stakeholders “Why the secret, they choose their own people to give it, and after it has been given they take back the remains and no one can access them,” he observed
The Bishops urged the government to facilitate the committee of experts commissioned in 2014 to test any vaccine and ascertain its safety before administering to the public, they also called upon parents to take up their responsibility of ensuring that their children are given the right vaccines.
By Rose Achiego, Waumini Communications, KCCB
