The Ministry of Health on Thursday officially launched the second phase of a comprehensive polio vaccination campaign set to commence from Saturday, 7th October, and conclude on Wednesday, 11th October 2023.
This campaign marks a crucial step in the ongoing efforts to combat the recent polio outbreak that surfaced in Garissa County in June of this year.
During a media and stakeholder meeting, Mary Muriuki, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, reiterated the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to eradicating polio in Kenya.
She pointed out that despite initial progress, recent cases in Garissa County underscore the persistent presence of the virus. In response, she emphasized the need for decisive action to safeguard our children and communities.
“I, therefore, urge all parents to ensure their children receive all the required vaccine doses to prevent further polio outbreaks. This process begins with the birth dose and continues with additional doses at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14 weeks,” urged the Principal Secretary.
PS Muriuki also announced that the upcoming campaign would target 10 high-risk counties, namely: Mandera, Wajir, Tana River, Lamu, Kitui, Machakos, Kiambu, Kajiado, Nairobi, and Garissa.
The campaign aims to reach 3,119,158 children under 5 years of age across all targeted sub-counties, with a goal of reaching approximately 3.1 million children in this age group.
Expressing her gratitude, Muriuki thanked all stakeholders for their invaluable support in the previous vaccination round, which achieved an impressive 104.2% coverage of the target population across four counties.
