The ministry of health in partnership with the Kenya Prisons Service has launched the first phase of a rapid result initiative that will see all prison staff and inmates vaccinated against Covid-19 over the next five days.

Speaking at the Naivasha maximum prison during the launch of the initiative, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the exercise will lay the ground for the resumption of family visitation for inmates in the country’s correctional facilities which had been suspended with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are happy to contribute to a return to normalcy for inmates. They should be treated as other Kenyans” said the health CS.

Kagwe said the government is committed to ensuring that 5.8 million people are vaccinated ahead of the 58th Mashujaa day that will be celebrated on 20th of October. This even as he challenged those who are yet to get the jab to go for the vaccines to protect themselves from the disease.

“All Kenyans who are eligible for the vaccines should turn up and get vaccinated as we now have them available” implored the CS.

Speaking at the same event, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr.Fred Matiang’i urged prison authorities to ensure  all inmates and prison staff  are vaccinated  by the end of the week.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe will on Wednesday flag off outreach services and enhanced communication campaign at St. James ACK Cathedral in Kiambu town as part of a nationwide accelerated COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

The development follows the arrival of multiple COVID -19 vaccines in the country with the Kenyan government targeting to have 10 million vaccinations by December 2021 as a key intervention in the COVID -19 response.