A Kenyan doctor who became a high-profile anti-vaccine campaigner has died after contracting Covid-19.
Dr Karanja, who was an obstetrician and gynecologist, died on Thursday a week after he was admitted to hospital suffering from complications caused by a Covid-19 infection.
Until his death, Dr Stephen Karanja was chairman of the Kenya Catholic Doctors Association. advocated steam inhalation and hydroxychloroquine tablets.
He went on in different forums to advocate alternative treatments, including steam inhalation and a cocktail of drugs – including hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin, which have not been approved by the WHO to treat Covid-19.
In addition, was a vocal conspiracy theorist, helping to spread myths involving Microsoft founder Bill Gates and the coronavirus being part of a bid to cull the world’s population.
Health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) rejected his claims.
“[The vaccine] being distributed in Kenya, has been reviewed and found safe not only by the WHO rigorous process but also by several stringent regulatory authorities,” the WHO said in March.
He also clashed with the Catholic church over the safety of the Covid jabs.
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops also distanced itself from Dr Karanja’s view on the Covid-19 vaccines, saying the vaccines were “licit and ethically acceptable.”
Notwithstanding, over 800,000 Kenyans have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
There have been nearly 160,000 cases of coronavirus recorded in the East African nation and 2,707 deaths, although critics believe that the accurate figures may be much higher.
