The Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced that it will conduct a polio immunization campaign in four northeastern counties over the next five days in response to the polio outbreak reported in Ethiopia near the Kenyan border in October last year.
In a statement on Friday, February 21, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni confirmed that the immunization campaign will be conducted in Marsabit, Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties from February 21 to February 25.
According to Muthoni, the campaign will target 176,949 children under 11 years of age in Marsabit County and 651,252 children under five years of age in Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera counties.
The PS also noted that a subsequent round of polio immunization campaigns will take place in April 2025 in these four counties.
Muthoni noted that children within the stated age brackets will receive at least two doses of the oral polio vaccine, regardless of their previous immunization status.
"Transmission is thus prevented by protecting every child against polio at the same time during the campaign, including children who are either not immunized or only partially protected, and by boosting immunity in those who have already been immunized," she stated.
"During the next five days of the immunization campaign, the Ministry urges all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children within the targeted age groups receive the vaccination, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against polio in the past," she added.
Poliomyelitis is a crippling viral disease caused by the poliovirus. It is characterised by acute flaccid paralysis and can lead to lifelong disability or even death in those infected.
The disease mainly affects children under the age of five, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, anyone of any age who is unvaccinated can contract it.
According to WHO, despite the burden of the disease decreasing by over 99% in the past three decades, areas with low immunization rates remain at risk of outbreaks.
In October 2024, a polio outbreak was reported in Ethiopia following the confirmation of one case of type 2 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) 15 kilometres from the Kenyan border in Moyale.
In response to the outbreak, a mass polio immunization campaign was conducted in December 2024 in Marsabit County, targeting children under 11 years of age due to low immunization coverage in the county.
According to the Ministry, this year's vaccination campaign will involve synchronizing immunization activities with neighbouring Ethiopia and Somalia due to the high cross-border movement of communities in the region.
Muthoni further encouraged members of the public to ensure that all children under five years of age are up to date with all vaccinations as per the childhood immunization schedule, including polio.
"We want to reassure the public that all vaccines used in the country are safe, effective, and have undergone rigorous testing. Receiving multiple doses of the polio vaccine will not harm your child but will provide additional immunity against the disease," she stated.
