The Ministry of Health in the government of Kenya is celebrating a significant milestone in its relentless battle against cholera and polio outbreaks. The Ministry has vaccinated over 1.6 million individuals against cholera and 1.95 million children protected from polio. This achievement underscores Kenya’s steadfast commitment to safeguarding the health of its citizens.
𝘾𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖 𝙊𝙪𝙩𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙣:
The Ministry is responding to the urgent need to combat ongoing cholera outbreaks. The said situation has affected 12,079 people and resulted in 200 fatalities across 27 counties. Accordingly, Kenya launched a Cholera vaccination campaign on August 3, 2023. The Ministry believes that the results are nothing short of astonishing:
The authorities selected these counties strategically due to their history of cholera outbreaks since October 2022. The ministry was building upon the success of a campaign in February 2023 that reached 2,033,999 individuals.
Kenya has planned preventive Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaigns throughout 2024, aiming to encompass all high-risk counties over three years.
𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙤 𝙊𝙪𝙩𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙣:
In a separate effort, Kenya completed the first round of reactive Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIA) to address a confirmed polio outbreak with six cases. This campaign, held from August 24th to August 28th, 2023, focused on vaccinating children under five in four high-risk counties:
Upcoming SIA rounds in September and November 2023 will expand to ten high-risk counties, targeting over 2.8 million children under five.
These campaigns are integral to Kenya’s commitment to Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and ensuring every child’s right to a healthy future. This success was only possible with the dedication of health professionals, stakeholders, partners, and the unwavering support of the public.
While celebrating these achievements, Kenya recognizes the ongoing work needed for its citizens’ continued health and well-being. We urge everyone to remain vigilant, practice essential public health measures, and join us in future public health campaigns.
Mary Muthoni Muriuki, HSC, Principal Secretary of the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards, extends heartfelt gratitude to all involved in these vital campaigns, emphasizing the importance of sustained dedication to public health efforts.
