Wanjala Danson
The Ministry of Health has said it will launch the Measles Rubella and tetanus countrywide vaccinationcampaign in an effort to curb the diseases.
The campaign will target children aged 8months to 14 years and women of reproductive age of 15 to 49 years with the Tetanus vaccine to protect future newborns with the vaccine between 16th and 24th May 2016.
Thisis Kenya’s biggest campaign targeting 19 million people in 11 highest risk counties in Kenya.
These include Kilifi, Mombasa, Meru, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Narok.
Children will get jabs of a new combined vaccine against measles and rubella.
Acting Director of Medical Services Jackson Kioko says this is the first time the country will conduct a vaccination campaign for more than five days.
“Other campaigns last between three to five days but this one will last for nine months,” said Kioko.
“The goal of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination is to reduce number of cases to less than 1 case of neonatal tetanus per 1,000 live births, in every sub-county,”said Principal Secretary for Health, Dr Nicholas Muraguri.
He stated that the government took the initiative because measles vaccine has a total efficacy level of 80 % and the disease is highly infectious and change the nationwide epidemic by increasing demand for second dose to reach 95 % of Kenyans.
The vaccination is a combination of measles and rubella vaccines.
The campaign will involve 42,000 health workers with 20,000 vaccination centres.