The fight against COVID-19 requires effective and well-coordinated public communication to enhance public response and elicit cooperation, said Kenya's health minister as the East African country and the world at large continue with efforts to contain the virus.

Mutahi Kagwe was speaking on Monday at the launch of the Media Council of Kenya COVID–19 Information Portal, aimed at providing media professionals with a one-stop shop on factual, verifiable and credible information on the pandemic in Kenya.

"The global spread of this pandemic has been mirrored by diffusion of misinformation & conspiracy theories about its origins and the motivations of preventive measures like vaccination, social distancing, and face masks," said Kagwe.

"Correct and timely information needs to get to all segments of the society in terms of the preventive measures and the roles and responsibilities of different players in curbing the spread of the coronavirus."

COVID-19 misinformation has presented a challenge in the global efforts against the pandemic.

In April, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that nearly 6,000 people around the globe were hospitalized because of COVID-19 misinformation. The health agency cited researchers to say at the time that at least 800 people may have died due to misinformation related to COVID-19.

Currently, many parts of the world are fighting vaccine misinformation which is partly blamed for vaccine skepticism.

In his address on Monday, Kagwe said the new portal will play an important role in helping the public obtain the correct information about the virus and the vaccines.

"The setting up of this information portal will greatly supplement efforts to ensure accuracy in reporting and providing hope to various sections of the population," said Kagwe.