Bishop condemns arrest of Nakuru Catholic nun who resisted measles jab on pupils
Sr Cecilia Kamau after she was arrested on May 23, 2016 for barring public health officers from administering measles and rubella vaccines to pupils of St Anthony Academy in Nakuru. Bishop Maurice Muhatia condemned the arrest. PHOTO | SULEIMAN MBATIAH | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- His condemnation came a day after health officials and police stormed the school and arrested the teacher.
- However, more than 48 hours after her arrest, the nun was yet to be arraigned in court.
- The bishop claimed children in their institutions had been left traumatised after medics forcibly conducted the vaccination.
- He challenged the Ministry of Health and the county government to explain why they were using force in the vaccination.
The Catholic Church has condemned the arrest of a nun accused of blocking health officials from administering vaccines for measles and rubella (also known as German measles) to pupils in a private school.
Nakuru Catholic Diocese Bishop Maurice Muhatia Wednesday termed the arrest of Sister Cecilia Kamau, the headmistress of the Catholic-sponsored St Anthony Academy in the county’s Bahati Constituency, as an “unfortunate act”.
His condemnation came a day after County Public Health Officer Samuel Kingori and plainclothes police officers stormed the institution and arrested the teacher after she blocked them from conducting the vaccination.
“We Catholics are Kenyans and, according to the Constitution, we are entitled to freedom of choice and speech,” said Bishop Muhatia.
He was speaking during a programme on a local radio station.
“I condemn what the medical personnel are doing.
“How can they lock children in a room and inject them with the vaccine like animals?”
CHILDREN TRAUMATISED
The bishop claimed children in their institutions had been left traumatised after medics forcibly conducted the vaccination.
He challenged the Ministry of Health and the county government to explain why they were using force in the vaccination.
His remarks come after it emerged that members of the church have been resisting the administration of the vital immunisation, claiming it is not safe.
Mr King’ori on Tuesday said that, while some members of the church allowed their children to be vaccinated, some schools run by the Catholic Church were hiding their pupils to avoid the vaccination.
RESISTED VACCINATION
Among the schools mentioned were Christ the King schools in Nakuru Town, Loreto and Elimu academies and several other institutions in Naivasha Sub-County which the health officials said resisted the vaccination, contrary to the Public Health Act.
However, more than 48 hours after her arrest, the nun was yet to be arraigned in court.
The Nation also established that the teacher was no longer in police custody.
Sr Kamau was arrested for obstructing the vaccination of more than 700 pupils at the institution.
Mr King’ori said unlike in the previous polio vaccination, a majority of religious groups in the area had complied with the ministry’s directive.
He said the county had, by the ninth day of the campaign, achieved about 90 per cent success.
