NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 14 – The Ministry of Health has embarked on a 100-day immunization campaign in a bid to increase coverage of all childhood antigens, including the second dose of Measles Rubella in the country.
Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, Acting Health Director General Patrick Amoth said that the Health Ministry through its Division of National Vaccines and Immunizations Programme is also targeting to vaccinate 70 per cent of girls aged 10-14 years with the HPV Vaccine during the countrywide exercise which began in November.
Amoth pointed out that the most important vaccines currently available in the country is that of cervical cancer which is estimated to cause deaths of 9 women every day in Kenya.
“HPV was negatively affected by COVID-19 pandemic because the age group targeted 10-14 were in school and when schools were closed for that long period of time, the coverage dropped from more than 57 per cent to just about 37 percent and therefore we are targeting to reach 70 per cent of the 700,000 girls during this period,” he said.
The Health Ministry introduced the HPV Vaccine into the routine immunization schedule in 2019 in a bid to curb cervical cancer.
He pointed out that cancer of the cervix is the number two commonest cancer in the country and number one in terms of cause of deaths.
Amoth stated that although the Ministry of Health aims at vaccinating at least 90 per cent of children, immunization coverage has stagnated at 80 per cent with some of the vaccines like HPV and the second dose of measles rubella vaccine falling behind at 30 per cent and 50 per cent respectively.
“There is also disparity between counties with some counties having a pentavalent vaccination coverage of as low as 60 per cent. The gap in vaccination means there are several children who do not have immunity against these vaccine preventable diseases,” Amoth said.
He further noted that the rate of immunization in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) has been low which he attributed to the geographical challenges in terms of accessing the facilities and the social behaviors of the pastoral communities.
Amoth added that the Health Ministry will prioritize these areas to ensure that more children are immunized.
The Acting Health DG called on parents and guardians to ensure that their children complete the immunization schedule pointing out that the Health Ministry has availed all vaccines in all immunizing facilities.
Amoth noted that measles outbreaks continue to occur in different parts of the country saying there is need to step up the immunization to improve on the current outlook.
“Any child under between 18 and 59 months who has not received the two doses of measles rubella should be presented at the nearest immunizing facility for vaccination. All girls aged 10-14 years should be vaccinated with HPV to provide protection against cervical cancer,” he added.
He said that immunization is one of the most cost-effective public health interventions, only second to clean water, in reduction of disease worldwide.
Every year, the Ministry of Health targets to vaccinate at least 1.5 million children against vaccine preventable disease such as measles, polio, tuberculosis, diarrhea and pneumonia.
