MOH to roll out countrywide drive to boost routine immunizations

The Ministry of Health is set to roll out a 100-day campaign to mitigate a decline in immunization coverage across the country.

The drive by the Ministry’s National Vaccine and Immunization Program (NVIP) with support from partners is targeting eligible children, childbearing age women and pregnant women who missed the vital routine immunization services amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI) activities will take place in all Counties.

Girls aged between 10-14 years and adults eligible are required to visit their nearest health facility to receive the intended vaccines.

Ministry officials and stakeholders will Tuesday hold a sensitization meeting to highlight the strategies to reach parents, community leaders and political leaders to accelerate immunization coverage to reduce morbidity and mortality rates on vaccine-preventable diseases.

The campaign comes in the wake of concerns over low vaccination rates since last year.

In Kenya, Covid-19 significantly disrupted routine immunization services and surveillance activities, threatening the achievements in the eradication of polio and elimination of preventable diseases.

According to World Health Organisation, there has been a slight reduction, of about 5 per cent in vaccination coverage in the first half of 2020.

This was mainly due to challenges inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including access to health centres due to movement restrictions as well as fear of contracting the virus.