By Kwanta Douglas –
Kenya on Thursday, launched a COVID-19 vaccination campaign targeting female traders and long-distance truck drivers at four border locations.
The immunization campaign, which is funded by international donors and managed by Kenya Private Sector Alliance and Nairobi-based TradeMark East Africa, aims to reach over 40,000 female cross-border traders, truck drivers, and logistics workers.
The two-month inoculation exercise at the border points, according to Lucy Mecca, Vaccine Quality and Supply manager of the National Vaccines Immunization Program, aims to reduce COVID-19 infections among female entrepreneurs and truck drivers.
“We are aware of the risk that traders and truck drivers face in their everyday encounters, which is why they need to be vaccinated against COVID-19,” Mecca added.
According to the head of Public-Private Dialogue at Kenya Private Sector Alliance, Patrick Maingi, the epidemic disrupted regional supply lines, resulting in sluggish economic growth, the closure of small and medium-sized businesses, and income and employment losses.
“With the uptake of vaccines, we shall not only protect ourselves and our businesses but also progressively secure jobs and reclaim normalcy to spur the recovery of trade across the borders to pre-pandemic levels,” said Maingi.
Ahmed Farah, director of TradeMark East Africa, said that inoculating a critical mass of female cross-border traders and truck drivers is key to ensuring regional trade is seamless, profitable and safe.