NAIROBI, Kenya – The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Kenya for successfully vaccinating more than 920,000 children against polio in a mass immunization campaign conducted in February.
The campaign focused on high-risk areas, particularly the North Eastern counties of Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir, and Garissa, where cross-border movement and previous outbreaks posed a significant threat.
An additional 17,000 children in border regions also received the vaccine, strengthening efforts to curb the disease’s spread.
According to WHO, the vaccination effort was bolstered by real-time data tracking and cross-border collaboration, ensuring children in remote and vulnerable communities were reached.
The Ministry of Health launched the campaign as part of the second phase of polio vaccination efforts, running from February 21 to 25, 2025.
This response was triggered by growing concerns over polio cases near Kenya’s border with Ethiopia.
In October 2024, Ethiopia reported an outbreak of polio, with a case of type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) confirmed just 15 kilometers from the Kenyan town of Moyale.
Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that a single confirmed polio case suggests that more than 200 unreported infections could be circulating, underscoring the need for swift containment measures.
To combat the risk, Kenyan authorities have conducted multiple rounds of vaccination, including a campaign in December 2024 in coordination with neighboring countries.
The Ministry of Health has announced that another round of polio vaccinations is scheduled for April 2025 as part of continued efforts to prevent an outbreak.
Polio, a highly contagious viral disease, spreads primarily through the fecal-oral route and contaminated food or water.
While most infections are asymptomatic, severe cases can cause paralysis, muscle weakness, and even death.
The best protection against polio remains vaccination, which has been instrumental in reducing global cases by over 99% since 1988, according to WHO.
With cross-border transmission still a concern, Kenya’s latest vaccination push highlights the ongoing fight to eliminate polio and protect vulnerable children from the devastating disease.
