Oral Cholera Vaccine Campaign Targeting 1.7M Kenyans Kicks Off

The Government on Thursday, August 3, 2023 Kicked off the Oral Vaccine Campaign in Kamukunji and Embakasi Central, Nairobi as a response to the recent outbreak.

The exercise was launched by Nairobi County Executive Committee Member of Heaklth, Ms. Suzanne Silantoi at Kitui grounds in Kamukunji.

The  August 3 – 12 campaign’s goal is to vaccinate approximately 1.7 million people above one year old in Nairobi, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Homa Bay, Machakos and Garissa.

United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organisation (WHO) among other partners have taken the mantle to push the campaign across different corners of Kenya.

A total of 2,122 vaccinators and 1,061 volunteers have also tagged along to provide the Oral Cholera Vaccine to communities.

“We have procured and transported the vaccine, supported counties and developed communications materials. We are engaging communities in high-risk areas,” UNICEF said in a statement.

A total of 1.7 million doses of vaccines are anticipated to be availed to citizens I Mandera East, Moyale, Kajiado East, Kamukunji, Embakasi East, Suba South, Dadaab Refugee Camps, Machakos GK Prisons and Machakos School of the Deaf.

Since October 2022, Kenya has been experiencing an ongoing cholera outbreak due to drought, reduced access to water and floods. WHO reports that over 11,800 people have been affected and 196 lost their lives since the outbreak.

During a similar kick off of the campaign in Kajiado County, CEC Medical Services and Public Health, Alex Kilowua affirmed that the County Government is dedicated at ensuring that the cholera vaccines reach the intended recipients with a particular focus on vulnerable groups such as mothers and school-going children.

The campaign has seen the respective partners give a hand not only in supplies but also technical assistance and financial support to counties such as Turkana, Wajir and Mandera where the outbreak gripped masses.

The successful first round of vaccination conducted in February 2023 saw 2.2 million people above the age of 1 vaccinated in Nairobi, Garissa, Tana River and Wajir.

Communities were spurred to turn up in large numbers to receive the vaccine. In addition, the partners behind the campaign called for maintenance of safety measures through boiled or treated water and cooked food.

A team of vaccinators from WHO