Mass vaccination campaign targets 76,000 children in Trans Mara

A healthcare worker prepare vaccinate during the Launch of Covid-19 Mass Vaccination Drive held at Dagoretti Deputy County Commissioner's Office in Nairobi on February 03, 2022. [FILE/Standard]

Trans Mara East sub-county plans to vaccinate 56,774 children against typhoid and 18,920 against measles in a mass vaccination campaign.

Richard Rotich, the Sub-county Expanded Programme on Immunisation coordinator, confirmed that health teams have been trained and equipped to cover all 24 vaccination centres.

Preparations are complete for the campaign, which will run from July 4 to July 14, with collaboration from the Ministry of Health.

"Typhoid is a serious public health threat, particularly for children under 15, especially those under five. The increasing cases of antimicrobial resistance make this vaccine essential," Rotich stated, urging parents to ensure their children are vaccinated.

The campaign responds to a rise in drug-resistant typhoid cases, which pose significant risks to children.

Health Cabinet Secretary Adan Duale emphasised the importance of vaccination, noting that typhoid and measles-rubella (MR) are preventable diseases.

Recent data show measles outbreaks in 18 countries, with 2,949 cases and 18 deaths reported from January 2024 to February 2025.

The poor uptake of the second MR vaccine dose has left many children vulnerable, with current vaccination coverage at 80% for MR1 and 60 per cent for MR2.

Since the last nationwide measles campaign in 2016, over 6.1 million children are now at risk, heightening the likelihood of outbreaks.