NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya has allocated Sh1.25 billion to procure essential childhood vaccines, including BCG, Oral Polio, Tetanus-Diphtheria, and Measles Rubella, the Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.
In a statement, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said the move will help address the current vaccine shortages affecting the country.
Principal Secretary of the State Department for Medical Services, Harry Kimtai has explained that the Ministry of Health has already received 1,209,500 doses of Measles-Rubella vaccine, 3,032,000 doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (bOPV), 1,000,000 doses of Tetanus-Diphtheria vaccine, and 3,129,000 doses of BCG vaccine.
These vaccines are currently being processed for distribution to the nine regional vaccine stores across Kenya.
To expedite this process, the ministry has engaged additional refrigerated trucks to ensure these life-saving vaccines reach health facilities and communities by mid-June 2024.
With the arrival of these vaccines, healthcare workers were urged to collaborate with community health teams to ensure that all children who missed vaccinations return to the facilities to catch up on their immunization schedule.
Caregivers were also encouraged to bring their children for immunizations, as the vaccine supply has now stabilized.
“The ministry is exploring innovative options for sustainable financing of vaccine procurement and program operations to prevent future stockouts,” read part of the statement.
