The Government through Ministry of Health has reiterated its commitment of providing a safe and effective polio vaccination campaign in a week-long 2nd round of exercise that kicked off on Saturday with its culmination scheduled for November 13.
Speaking at Afya house on Saturday, Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth urged Kenyan parents, caregivers and communities to embrace the initiative and support the government agenda in containing a highly infectious and debilitating vaccine-preventable viral disease with the potential to cause paralysis and even death in a matter of hours among young children who are not fully vaccinated.
“While there is no cure for Polio, the disease can be prevented by receiving the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).All vaccines given by the Ministry of Health, including the polio vaccine are safe and effective in protecting our children against vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccines are designed to stimulate an immune response in the body against infectious diseases, and this reaction inevitably carries a small attributable risk to the health of a minority of children. While mild side effects may occur, these often resolve quickly” noted Dr Amoth
Targeting Kenyan children under the age of 5 years,the Ministry launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign last month in response to a recent outbreak of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in Kenya.
The first round of vaccination was carried out from 2nd to 6th October 2024 in 9 high risk counties:Nairobi, Kiambu, Kajiado, West Pokot, Busia, Bungoma, Machakos.
Already the Kenya Paediatric Association (KPA) comprising of paediatricians, clinicians, and allied healthcare workers issued a statement last month following their step of developing guidance to address concerns being raised by the relevant stakeholders regarding the campaign.
“The MoH vaccination teams are well trained in handling and administering the oral polio vaccine, maintaining the World Health Organisation safety standards. KPA supports MoH to assure Kenyans that the vaccine is safe for our children. We have developed guidance to address concerns being raised by parents and/or caregivers about the ongoing polio vaccination campaign” read part of KPA statement
“KPA continues to engage with MoH and other stakeholders to ensure quality healthcare for all children in Kenya. We urge all parents and/or caregivers to ensure their eligible children are vaccinated during this campaign” the statement further read.
The government has deployed among other mechanisms use of 107,000 Community Health Promoters stationed countrywide in the campaign’s success.Oral polio vaccine has the advantage of inducing gut immunity and protection for both the immunized child and their contacts.
Transmission of polio is feco-oral, meaning that consumption of water contaminated with polio virus can cause polio infection and in some children progress to paralysis. Circulating vaccine derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has emerged as a public health concern in low-resourced countries with sub-optimal vaccination rates including Kenya.
The current vaccination drive aims to protect every child in 9 high risk counties of Busia, Bungoma, Trans-nzoia, West Pokot and Turkana which will target children under 10 years of age and the entire Nairobi and selected sub counties of Kabete, Kikuyu, Kiambaa, Kiambu town, Juja,
Ruiru and Thika
Polio vaccination has been part of the routine childhood immunization schedule across the globe in compliance with recommendations by World Health Organisation [WHO] which emphasise need for children to get 4 doses of polio vaccine to protect them against severe polio disease, including paralysis.
