McCauley Wycliff
Member
US-based Kenyan scholar Prof. Makau Mutua has expressed his opinion on the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine whose private rollout in Kenya was banned on Friday.
Mutua, who is also an attorney, said the Russian-made jab was yet to be approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US, terming it as a “rogue vaccine.”
"SPUTNIK V vaccine is neither approved by WHO nor by the United States. At this point, it’s a rouge (rogue?) vaccine imported into Kenya by rogue actors. No one should accept it," Mutua wrote on his Facebook page on Saturday.
On Friday, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced a ban on the importation, distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines by private entities. This came after the controversial importation of the Sputnik V vaccine into by a private entity.
“The government is effective today closing the window of private sector importation, distribution and administration of vaccines until such a time when it is confident that there is greater transparency and accountability in the entire process,” said Kagwe.
Deputy President Ruto, his wife Rachel, and lawyers Ahmednassir Abdullahi and Donald Kiprorir were among the first persons to receive the jab.
A single shot of the Sputnik V vaccine, which has an efficacy rate of 92 percent, was going for Sh8,000.
“Any person advertising or vaccinating people for a fee will be in contravention of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board regulations governing emergency use authorization and the Public Health Act. As such they will be liable for prosecution,” added CS Kagwe.