AFRICA/KENYA – Joint tests of Church and State on the tetanus vaccine considered a means of birth control

Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Nairobi (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Church and the Ministry of Health will conduct joint tests to ascertain whether the controversial tetanus vaccine contains hCG beta unit. According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, the decision was announced on 18 November, after a meeting between Cardinal John Njue, Archbishop of Nairobi, President of the Episcopal Conference, and Health officials.
"We agreed for a joint testing of the vaccine where the Catholic Church and the Ministry of Health will send three officials each", said the Director of Medical Services, Dr. Nicholas Muraguri. "We shall meet on Wednesday (today, November 19, ed) to decide where the test will be done, identify the facility where sampling will be done, the laboratory and technology to use", added Dr. Muraguri who stressed the need for greater engagement between the Catholic Church and the Ministry before any national initiative is undertaken.
The Bishops have launched the alarm of a national campaign against tetanus aimed at girls and women aged from 14 to 49, because some laboratory tests carried out at the request of the Church found that the tetanus vaccine used in March 2014 contained hCG beta unit (see Fides 17/10/2014), which in reality is a vaccine against pregnancy. A similar methodology was used in previous tetanus campaigns in the Philippines, Nicaragua and Mexico. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2014)


Share: