The Ministry of Health (MoH) has launched a five-day polio vaccination campaign targeting children under five years old in selected areas of Kiambu County. The campaign, which will run from October 2 to 6, 2024, aims to boost population immunity against the poliovirus.
Addressing the press on Monday, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, emphasized the importance of the campaign in safeguarding the health of children in Kenya.
The initiative comes in response to a recent outbreak of Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) detected in four children living in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Turkana County. Additionally, a polio-type 2-positive sewage sample was found in Kamukunji Sub-County, raising further concerns.
In collaboration with County Governments, the MoH will seek to reach 3,843,275 children, including 2,021,663 under 10 years old in Busia, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, and Turkana. Another 1,821,612 children under five years old in selected areas of Nairobi, Machakos, Kiambu, and Kajiado counties will also be vaccinated.
In Kiambu County, the vaccination campaign will focus on the following sub-counties:
- Thika
- Juja
- Ruiru
- Kiambu
- Kabete
- Kiambaa
- Kikuyu
“All high-risk counties have been alerted to remain vigilant, particularly those in Western Kenya due to the detection of type 2 polio in Bio district, Uganda, which borders Bungoma County,” PS Muthoni said.
Parents and caregivers in the targeted areas are urged to ensure that their children receive the vaccination. The first round will administer 4.1 million doses, while the second round, scheduled for 2025, will roll out 14.6 million doses.
