AFRICA/KENYA - The Bishops: "What does the tetanus campaign hide?"

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - "We want the government to come clean on the ongoing tetanus vaccine campaign" ask the Bishops of Kenya who fear that the prophylaxis hides a campaign of forced sterilization concerning women in childbearing age.
According to reports from CISA agency in Nairobi, during a press conference in Nairobi, His Exc. Mgr. Paul Kariuki Njiru, Bishop of Embu and Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) Catholic Health Commission of Kenya, questioned why the national tetanus campaign is aimed at girls and women aged between 14 to 49, excluding girls under the age of 13, in addition to the male population.
Mgr. Kariuki Njiru reported the church had conducted laboratory tests on the vaccine used in the Tetanus campaign of March 2014 and found out that it contained the Beta HCG sub unit. HCG according to the findings is necessary for pregnancy. This substance, combined with the tetanus vaccine, actually becomes a vaccine against pregnancy. A similar methodology was used in previous tetanus campaigns in the Philippines, Nicaragua and Mexico.
The Bishop says the measure was "a permanent population control tool" and urged the ministry of health to come clean on the matter and said there was "lack of stakeholder, engagement and consultation" since the church was not involved in the campaign at any one point despite being key stakeholder in the health sector. "The ministry of Health has not involved us during conceptualization; preparation and participation in the Tetanus Vaccination campaign. We contribute a substantial amount of health services in this country. We have been involved previously and continue to support all ‘clean’ and well – intended vaccination programmes. What is the ministry hiding this time round?" asked Bishop Kariuki. The Catholic Church in Kenya own 58 hospitals, 83 health centres, 311 dispensaries and 17 medical training institutions. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 17/10/2014)