Kenya Launches Polio Vaccination Campaign

By Samuel Ouma

The Kenyan government on Thursday launched a polio vaccination campaign targeting more than 7.4 million children under 5 years.

The campaign was launched by Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha. It aims to do away with the threat of polio and ensure the well-being of our nation's children.

The exercise will occur in 3 rounds. The First Round will target 4 high-risk counties, starting with Garissa, Kiambu, neighbouring Nairobi, and Kajiado counties.

This first round aims to reach over 1.8 million children under 5 years. The 5-day campaign that began on August 24 will conclude on Monday, August 28, 2023.

Rounds two and three will be carried out in September and October 2023, targeting over 5.6 million children in these four counties and an additional six, namely Lamu, Tana River, Wajir, Mandera, Kitui, and Machakos.

The campaign aims to reach millions of children through meticulous door-to-door initiatives, ensuring no child remains unvaccinated.

Nakhumicha assured the public of the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines used in the campaign.

She urged parents, guardians, caregivers, and communities to actively participate in the exercise.