Children aged five and below could miss scheduled immunisation because of the ongoing nurses’ strike.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics 2018 Economic Survey shows a drop in immunisation levels from 69 per cent in 2016 to 63 per cent in 2017.
The drop was attributed to the five months nurses’ strike in 2017. There had been a steady increase in the levels of immunisation in the past years before the drop in 2017. Last year, immunisation levels rose to 80 per cent. “Despite the achievement, some counties are still lagging behind,” Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman said on Friday.
Aman said there should be supported outreaches at least twice a month for every health facility to reach the remote communities.
He called for strengthened routine immunisation by ensuring daily vaccination at all health facilities. He called for support to monthly last mile distribution of vaccines.
The burden caused by vaccine preventable diseases has reduced by 70 per cent since 2000, Aman said.
“It is through the efforts of various stakeholders and county governments who are the implementers,” he said
The official said there was need to improve coverage, achieve equity and institute measures to sustain the coverage including tracking of all children who could have been missed during the vaccination drive.
Staff shortage and poor vaccination schedules have been the main reason why Kenya is yet to attain 100 per cent target. At service delivery level, key drivers of low immunisation coverage persist. “These include suboptimal and irregular immunisation outreaches and lack of daily vaccination schedules due to staff shortage.”
