Experts call for continued use of masks post-covid
By Mathew.Ndungu, April 21, 2022Medical experts meeting in Nairobi have recommended continued hand washing and use of masks as a new lifestyle norm to reduce the spread of flu and other viral diseases such as Covid-19.
These were some of the resolutions reached during an international conference in Nairobi to commemorate the experience of Covid-19 and take stock of best practices and lessons.
The conference held at Kenyatta University was organised by the institution’s School of Public Health and the Ministry of Health.
First Lady Margaret Kenyatta (pictured) graced the official opening of the conference on Tuesday afternoon.
At the same time, the meeting called for a multi-sectoral action and inclusive approach to health promotion.
The medics underscored the role of Health Promotion Officers who play a key role to accelerate the uptake of Covid-19 vaccine through awareness creation.
Vaccination targets
Equally, the delegates acknowledged the critical role of the Bunge Ya Mwanachi, political leaders, artists and community elders to mobilise and communicate to communities.
Whereas Kenya has made remarkable success in the control of the spread of Covid-19, the medics regretted that the country is yet to achieve vaccination targets. The general populace, the conference stated, was not safe unless every individual is vaccinated.
Experts continue to express concern over the low uptake of Covid-19 vaccines, a situation that has been partly blamed on the easing of containment.
The drought in parts of the country, food insecurity and conflict have also contributed to slowing down the vaccination efforts
“Today we see encouraging signs of declining cases of Covid-19 globally but we cannot forget the fragility of our health system and the need to increase our resilience so that we can protect ourselves from potential disruptions that are still a reality,” First Lady Margaret said during the official opening of the conference.
Kenya Red Cross Society Secretary-General Asha Mohammed called for an integrated approach that allows stakeholders to respond to emergencies while conducting vaccination drives.
According to Mohammed, the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on people’s health and livelihoods cannot be overstated.
“The pandemic has tested our resilience at a time when most of our communities are already stressed by climate change, economic slowdown, and in particular today’s drought which has left nearly 3.5 million people across the country food insecure,” Aisha said.