NAIROBI, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Thursday launched COVID-19 immunization campaign at four border points targeting female traders and long-distance truck drivers.
Funded by external donors and implemented by Kenya Private Sector Alliance and Nairobi-based TradeMark East Africa, the vaccination exercise targets over 40,000 cross-border female traders, truck drivers and logistics professionals.
Lucy Mecca, Vaccine Quality and Supply manager at the National Vaccines Immunization Program, said the two-month inoculation exercise at the border points aims to mitigate COVID-19 infections among female entrepreneurs and truck drivers.
"We are cognizant of the exposure that traders and truck drivers encounter in their daily interactions hence the need to vaccinate them against COVID-19," said Mecca.
Patrick Maingi, head of Public-Private Dialogue at Kenya Private Sector Alliance, said the pandemic disrupted regional supply chains, leading to sluggish economic growth, closure of small and medium-sized enterprises, and income and job 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. Enditem