Parents appear to have ignored sceptics and allowed their children to receive the protective polio vaccine in the ongoing vaccination drive.
The Ministry of Health reported a high uptake yesterday in the nine high-risk counties of Busia, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado.
The exercise will close today.
All children under five years are being vaccinated against polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis and even death within hours among young children who are not fully vaccinated.
While there is no cure for polio, the disease can be prevented by receiving the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV).
The vaccination is being done after the virus was isolated in sewage in parts of Kenya this year, which means it is still spreading in some under-vaccinated children, especially along the borders.
The current drive started on November 9 and ends on November 13.
“If you’re in Busia, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, or Kajiado, our dedicated vaccinators are going door-to-door to ensure every child receives this vital vaccine. Safeguard your child’s future–open your door to protection today,” the ministry said in a statement.
It also clarified that the deaths of two children after the polio vaccination drive, which was conducted in the country from October 2 to 6, was not related to the vaccine.
During the October vaccination drive, some parents and guardians expressed concern over the safety of vaccines, saying their children had exhibited adverse reactions after the vaccination.
There was fear this would lead to parents not allowing their children to be vaccinated in the ongoing drive.
This prompted the Kenya National Vaccine Safety Advisory Committee (KNVSAC) to launch investigations into the reports.
The committee in a report on Friday said 23 reported cases were investigated, 16 were non- serious ranging from generalised itchy rash, fever, conjunctivitis, body rashes, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
Seven of the reported cases were serious presenting with generalised red and sometimes itchy bumps in the skin and fever, weakness of the lower limbs, convulsions, diarrhoea and vomiting and herpes zoster.
The committee in their report said two of the reported cases unfortunately resulted in death.
The ministry has affirmed that
vaccines administered in the country are safe and 18 of the cases investigated were coincidental due
to underlying or emerging health
conditions unrelated to the vaccine.