The government has moved to dispel concerns about the safety of the polio vaccine and assured parents and guardians that the jab is safe.
The second round of the vaccination, which ended on Wednesday, targeted 4.2 million children below 10 years across nine high-risk counties.
Public health and professional standards PS Mary Muthoni said the vaccines were tested and found to be safe and effective by the National Quality Control Laboratory and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board.
“I want to assure you that all vaccines administered by the Ministry of Health are tested to be safe, effective and they are approved by the World Health Organization. This vaccine is being used elsewhere in the world, so it’s not just in Kenya,” she said.
The PS said parents should have no cause for worry should their children develop side effects afterwards as this is a normal immunisation–related occurrence.
She, however, advised parents to seek medical attention should symptoms associated with vaccination become severe.
“Some children may experience fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, and muscle aches amongst others. These are common issues that may occur after a child has received vaccination, and it’s advisable that the children should be taken to a health facility,” she said.
A number of parents had expressed fears about the safety of the jab after some households reported that their children developed symptoms after the first round of vaccination.
The first round of immunisation was carried out between October 2 and 6 in nine high-risk counties of Busia, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado.
The 2nd round was carried out from November 9 to 13, 2024, amid scepticism from some parents.
While giving a status update on Wednesday, PS Muthoni said the number of vaccinated children as of Tuesday stood at 3.6 million, translating to 86 per cent of the targeted population of 4.2 million children.
She said they expected to number to hit 95 per cent at the close of the vaccination on Wednesday.
The vaccination targeted children under 10 across Busia, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot and Turkana counties, where the immunisation campaign has been active since 2016.
In Nairobi, Kiambu, Machako and Kajiado counties, children targeted were those below five years, the PS said.
