County, national government differ over availability of vaccine

Elgey-Marakwet County Governor Alex Tolgos in a press conference in Eldoret recently.

There is conflicting information about the availability of the pneumonia vaccine.

County Health Chief Officer Solomon Sirma insists they have not had the vaccine for the past three months.

On the other hand, Collins Tabu - the immunisation policy and performance monitoring officer at the Health ministry maintains there is no shortage. "We are phasing out old stock,” he said. 

But Dr Sirma said: “We neither have the vaccines nor an alternative to buying them because they are supplied by the national government," he said.

A spot check by The Standard in Nakuru town confirmed this. 

A nurse at Langa Langa health centre, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said lack of the vaccine put babies at risk.

“It's been three months now and children are not receiving pneumonia vaccine because we have not been supplied,” the nurse said. 

The vaccine protects children against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria.

Meanwhile, there is an acute shortage of Tuberculosis (TB) drugs in Samburu, causing fear of infection among locals. 

TB patients seeking services at Samburu county hospital are turned away.