The Ministry of Health has said it is investigating complaints raised by Kenyans over the just concluded polio vaccination campaign.
The ministry said it has received unverified reports regarding the vaccine.
Some Kenyans raised concerns over the type of vaccine administered and whether there has been a change, the side effects and whether to worry about it.
“Investigations are ongoing and a formal statement will be issued in due course,” MoH said in a statement.
The ministry discouraged Kenyans from spreading rumours and misinformation until the ministry issues official information on the matter.
The ministry launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign from October 2 to 6.
This was in response to a recent outbreak of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in Kenya.
MoH said that in 2024, five cases were confirmed, including four children from Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana county and one positive environmental surveillance sample in Kamukunji Subcounty, Nairobi.
The vaccination campaign targeted over 3.8 million children under the age of five across nine high-risk counties.
They are Nairobi, Busia, Bungoma, Turkana, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado.
On October 3, 2024, the Public Health and Professional Standards PS Mary Muriuki, during a media stakeholders' briefing, said the government is committed to eradicating polio.
Polio, also called poliomyelitis, is caused by the poliovirus which mainly targets nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain stem that control muscle movement.
According to Mayo Clinic, polio can lead to a person being unable to move certain limbs, also called paralysis.
It can also lead to trouble breathing and sometimes death.