State unveils second polio campaign

By Felix Olick

The Government has announced plans for the second round of massive polio vaccination campaign in 32 districts in Nyanza and Rift Valley beginning this Saturday.

The campaign targets more than one million children. Director of Public Health and Sanitation Shahnaaz Sharif said 97 high-risk districts in different parts of the country would also be reached in the months of November and December.

Speaking at Afya House in Nairobi on Wednesday, Dr Sharif said the ministry plans to conduct a five-day vaccination exercise since a number of eligible children were not reached during the first exercise. Sharif said independent monitoring of the outcome of the campaign indicates that only 85 per cent of children under the age of five were reached.

"The exercise would be conducted in all districts in Migori, Homa Bay, Nyamira, Kisii and Kisumu counties in Nyanza Province and Trans Mara District in Rift Valley," said Sharif.

He noted that vaccination teams will travel from house to house and in all health facilities in the targeted districts to vaccinate the children without any charge.

"All children under five years should receive the vaccine regardless of past vaccinations. The more doses a child receive, the better to enhance their immunity against polio," said Sharif. The senior health official said the third and the fourth rounds of the polio response vaccination campaign will be conducted from November 5 to 9 and again from December 3 to 7.

He said the rounds target all districts in North Eastern, Nairobi, Western and Nyanza provinces and selected districts in Coast, Eastern and Rift Valley. The Government renewed efforts against polio after a case was confirmed in Kamagambo area in Rongo District in August this year.

Sharif noted that just one case of polio puts all children at risk.

The official identified refusal of the vaccine on religious grounds, missing children during the time of visit and inadequate participation of community leaders as some of the challenges facing the campaign.

He appealed to all parents and guardians with children in the 32 selected districts to ensure their children are immunised.