Health officers escorted to church for vaccination

November 9, 2012

Standard Digital

Antony Gitonga 

Joseph Muchiri 

Public health officers raided a church in Naivasha after sect members declined to have their children vaccinated against measles. 

The incident comes a day after three parents pleaded guilty, in an Embu court, to the crime of refusing to take their children for immunization due to their faith.

Yesterday, officers accompanied by armed Administration Police officers were left in shock after the faithful of the ‘Africa Kanisa Israel’ church decided to hide their minors.

Members of the sect in Kinamba village denied they had refused to have their minors vaccinated, but a search found four malnourished minors hidden in the bushes.

None of the children had been immunized since birth and the health officers moved in to administer the required vaccines. 

ADAMANT 

The over 100 sect members live in ‘Akorino village’ where they worship in a church whose floor is littered with hay. According to Naivasha District Public Health Officer Samuel King’ori, they raided the village after getting a tip-off from members of the public.

 “The church members were first adamant but have immunised all the children,” he said. King’ori noted it was the same village where a family declined to take their children for medication and one died as a result.

He said a family in Mai Mahiu area had declined to have their children immunised and police had been sent to arrest them.

Church leader Fredrick Mwangi defended the members saying they were free to seek medical attention or prayers. Mwangi said the Bible gave them the alternative of praying instead of going to hospital, but was quick to deny refusing to vaccinate the children. 

Meanwhile, three parents in Embu West District who barred medical personnel from accessing their home to immunise the children were remanded after they pleaded guilty to the crime.

Joseph Kamau, 42, his wife Wanjiru Kamau, 40, and their neighbour Nginda Nyaga, Kavonokia sect adherents, pleaded guilty to the crime before an Embu court. 

They told Chief Magistrate Margaret Wachira their Kanisa la Mungu church did not advocate use of conventional medicine. 

Ms Nyaga shocked the court when she said she had never taken her five children to hospital since 1989 when she became a member of the sect. Ms Wachira remanded the parents at the Embu GK Prison until November 26 when a probation report would be provided. 

She also ordered the children be taken for immunisation and placed in a children’s home.

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000070254&story_title=health-officers-escorted-to-church-for-vaccination&pageNo=2

Drama as Kavonokya Sect Members Resist Polio Vaccination

Jun 25, 2014

There was drama in Wikithuki village in Kitui County after health officials accompanied by police engaged in running battles with members of the Kavonokia sect who are strongly opposed to having their children vaccinated against polio. Police and health officials searched homes and even granaries to look for the hidden children to vaccinate them. According to sect members their religious beliefs do not allow them to use conventional medicine.

Kenya: Sect Hides Babies From Polio Jab in Tharaka Nithi

The Star

November 14, 2014

Dennis Dibondo

A religious sect that rejects modern medicine on Sunday hid their children so they would not receive polio vaccine .

After a stand-off lasting for hours, the area chief and Administration Police had to intervene to ensure the inoculation.

Mothers screamed and cried since they do not believe in conventional medicine, saying their children might die.

"We rely on God for protection. We do not need any medical intervention," one parent in the Kavonokia sect said.

The polio campaign targets 59,490 children under the age of five in Tharaka Nithi county.

Medical officer in charge Rose Micheni said medical workers left many homes in Kibunga and Kirocho villages after they found doors locked.

Upon return to one of the homes for confirmation, the workers heard the laughter of children playing inside the houses, she said.

"Parents of the sect had hidden their children in the farms and were monitoring the moves of the medical officers," Micheni said.

She said the sect members emerged after their attempt to prevent the kids from getting vaccinated was discovered.

They chased away the health workers and refused to unlock their houses, saying their children are healthy and do not need any medication, she said.

Micheni said she had to use police in the rest of the inoculation, as the group threatened to chase them away with dogs.

She urged community leaders to teach locals the importance of vaccinating their children at early age.

Micheni said the vaccination will not be derailed by religious beliefs.

"Diseases do not know what your religion is or your community's beliefs," she said. Micheni said the campaign is targeting 90 per cent of the child population.

"We'll ensure they all get the polio vaccine," she said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201411140264.html