Feature: Religious beliefs frustrate better health in Kenya

Since she gave birth three months ago, Queenter Auma, a resident of Kisumu County in Western Kenya has never taken her son to hospital for vaccination as required by the health ministry.

Auma believes on the doctrines of her church known as Yesu Kende (Jesus Only), which bar her from taking her children to hospital if they get sick.

"I cannot go against what my religious leaders are opposed to," Auma courageously told Xinhua on Saturday after blocking health officials from administering a polio vaccine on her baby on Wednesday.

Jermine K'Onyango, a children's officer in the region, said majority of the parents who are members of "Yesu Kende" hid their children to avoid the vaccine.

"We have four notorious families from Nyakach, Awasi and Nyando (Western Kenya) who when we conducted the campaign, they disappeared. This has become the norm in every campaign," K'Onyango said.

But Auma is not the only one who has been blocking the health officials from vaccinating their children.

Joakim Oloo, a parent who lost his child two days ago, said his church does not allow children to be immunized because the polio jabs "are laced with germs".

On Friday, the government said it vaccinated 6.03 million children below five years of age against polio despite resistance from the religious leaders.

Last week, three children aged below five years died in Homa Bay County after their parents blocked the ministry of health officials from administering the anti-polio jab citing religious beliefs.

Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia earlier said that polio is a global campaign and Kenya is not in isolation as it is one among the countries being affected by disease that has come from West Africa, horn of Africa through the refugee camps.

"Kenya has different religions which if allowed to take part in decision-making process the heath sector, total confusion will be the order of the day," Macharia regretted.

Ministry of Public Health medical officer based in Kisumu, Dr Rosemary Obara, acknowledged that religious beliefs are a major hindrance to better health.

WHO Representative to Kenya Custodia Mandlhate said the government needs to engage the religious leaders on vaccine administration.

"Our resolve to eradicate polio should not be slowed or be stopped by anybody. There is serious need to take the campaign to the communities and let the people choose whether they want it controlled or stopped," she said.

Polio aside, many HIV patients in Kenya it is noted are no longer taking their anti-retroviral drugs because of religious and cultural issues.

Amos Owino, a HIV patient in Homa Bay, recently said he no longer takes his life sustaining drugs because the church he recently joined encourages people to believe in God and they will be healed.

"I have never taken my ARVs. I have never been bedridden because I believe that God is the healer," Owino said.

Zahra Hassan, a programme coordinator at the Women Fighting HIV in Kenya (WFHIK), said that religion is the major reason why HIV patients shun anti-retroviral drugs.

"The patients are misled by their religious leaders that they will be healed if they believed in God and stopped taking the drugs. They watch television and all they see is that HIV patients are miraculously healed and they stop taking the drugs," Hassan said.

She said there was need by the government to advocate for change of mindset and encourage people to take their drugs.

She cited an incident where relatives of a very sick HIV patient removed the patient from the hospital bed and took him to a crusade where healing and miracles programme were being performed.

The patient died after two days. It was too late to resuscitate him because he had stopped taking his medication. Endit