Religious leaders join efforts in vaccination campaign against COVID-19

Religious leaders join efforts in vaccination campaign against COVID-19  

The interreligious council of Kenya in partnership with the ministry of Health and UNICEF launched COVID-19 vaccination drives in Marsabit county, with religious leaders leading the vaccine drives and help in improving the attitude and perception of faith communities for low uptake of the coronavirus vaccination. They will used the congregational model approach to directly mobilize members to take up the COVID-19 vaccines at the nearest health facility. Religious leaders are the most influential people in the society since they nurture spiritual, emotional and social wellbeing of the people. During the launch, religious leaders urged their congregants to shun myths and misconception associated with the vaccine and get jab for their own protection.

• Speaking during idd celebration, Muslim leaders led by sheikh Mohamednur Kuli said vaccination remains a powerful tool in preservation of health and life in line with the doctrines of sharia law. He emphasized that based on science, the good of the vaccine outweigh any negative aspects urging religious leaders to persuade their faithful to get the vaccines. " Vaccination is not meant to destroy humanity. There is evidence that when you are immunized it reduces the severity of the disease." he said While urging residents to heed the ministry of health call to get vaccinated, he pledged that they would continue to walk the talk and work with the government to promote vaccination campaign against the virus. He said though vaccination against the COVID-19 is voluntarily, the vaccine is the most effective protection against the illness and death from the virus.
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• Sheikh Mohamednur argued that the sanctity of a life is a supreme value for religions and the saving of the life of any human being is the greatest religious obligation to all. " It is manifestly clear that the mass vaccination of entire population is our primary tool as religious leaders to defeat this terrible pandemic." Said sheikh Mohamednur While echoing vaccination drives, pastor William Godana of AIC belief that their role as religious leaders is to stand at the forefront of the battle against the virus and save the countless lives. " The virus affects both men and women indiscriminately. The role of the religious leaders is to give stability, comfort, guidance and hope to faithful and communities." Said pastor William He said the virus has infected millions of people and is causing serious economic and social crisis with enormous mental and educational damage to the population, reaffirmed their commitment in the fight against the COVID-19 and announced their openness to any initiative of medical assistance and religious advice aimed at fostering the widest interreligious corporation in the fight against the virus.
•  " Getting the vaccines is an act of love and is a simple yet profound way to care for one another." he said He appealed to residents to get vaccinated saying COVID-19 is real and it has claimed lives all over the world. Pastor William said the initiative by the religious leaders is to demystify misleading myths that make people shy away from being vaccinated. " We are glad that the religious leaders have been prioritize in the drive and we hope to support the government's initiatives to vaccinate." he said.
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• He noted that there are a lot of misconceptions among the community about the COVID-19 vaccine hence there is need for proper awareness creation. He applauds the efforts by the government in involving the religious leaders in the mobilization of the members saying this will go a long way in ensuring that the government achieve its targets of the population being vaccinated. Interfaith council of Kenya's coordinator in Marsabit and Isiolo county Rosemary Mwangi express concern about the low uptake of the vaccine in the county and announced that the religious leaders was engaged to sensitize their congregation about the importance of the vaccine. She warned that COVID-19 was still a threat, and that the vaccine was aimed to boost immunity against the virus in case of any future outbreaks.
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• She cautioned those spreading false information about the vaccination, assuring that the government and the religious leaders could not mislead people about the vaccine's importance. She emphasized that the vaccine was crucial in boosting a person's immunity against the COVID-19 and safe for all individuals aged 12 and above. She urged members of the public to turn out in large numbers to get vaccinated. She added that all the vaccines are free of charge, encouraging individuals to visit health facilities near them to get vaccinated. She also urged elderly and those with illness to take up the COVID-19 vaccination to boost their immunity in addition to helping curb the spread of the disease.
• Youth leader Abdiaziz Boru encouraged young people to get vaccinated as well as promote vaccination amongst their peers.

Marsabit County Government

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