How childhood immunisation protects lives

A child being immunized against polio, July 19, 2021. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

It has been 50 years since the World Health Organisation launched the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), which has increased equitable vaccination coverage for children worldwide.  

It has been one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions in history. This is evidenced by the eradication of smallpox, near eradication of poliomyelitis and marked control of measles. WHO and governments would have been remiss in overlooking the importance of vaccines in improving public health outcomes.

Kenya has had routine EPI since 1980, which includes immunisation against six childhood diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, polio, and tuberculosis. According to the Ministry of Health, the Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunisation (KEPI) provides free vaccines to over 1.5 million infants yearly.

This has been accomplished through collaborative efforts involving government initiatives, private sector players, and public behaviour change to prioritise routine immunisation. The government has provided adequate funding for distribution of vaccines to even the most remote regions through the National Vaccines and Immunisation Programme.

Private sector players have contributed to the effort by providing public education and agreeing to offer KEPI-backed vaccines at no cost in their facilities. The private sector’s support for public information campaigns has been especially important in increasing uptake across the country.

The result of health sector stakeholders working together on emotional and cognitive communication and awareness has been a reduction in vaccine hesitancy and a decent uptake rate of the vaccines. While the progress is commendable, it is not time to rest on our laurels. According to the United Nations Population Fund, Kenya’s population will have doubled over the next 35 years, resulting in the birth of millions of children during that time. Many of them will most likely be from hard-to-reach communities that have had less success with widespread immunisation coverage.

One of the ways we can strengthen immunisation coverage efforts is by leveraging emerging solutions in cold chain logistics. Kenya is already seeing increased investment in cold chain and transport, but there is a significant value to be gained by growing our capacity for lightweight cold transport and storage that can be powered by renewable sources, especially in hard-to-reach areas.

This will reduce the likelihood of spoilage during transportation and storage, limiting the need for numerous resupply tips. Consistent public awareness and education efforts must be part of the immunisation offensive, providing the public with information to distinguish between fact and fiction. Stepping up information efforts both online and offline, as well as countering existing anti-immunisation rhetoric, will go a long way toward keeping immunisation alive when anti-vaxxer sentiment rises.

Finally, as we commemorate the 44th anniversary of EPI in Kenya and the successes it has achieved, it is critical to remember that the journey is far from over. As our population grows in the coming years, sustained efforts will be required to provide every child with life-saving immunisation.

-The writer is a paediatrician at Gertrude’s Children’s Hospital