Vaccines save lives, let's protect our children from typhoid and measles

A child being vaccinated in Ortum in West Pokot County. [File, Standard]

Kenya marked yet another significant milestone in its quest to address age-old preventable diseases that continue to place a significant burden on the country's healthcare system. On Friday July 5, the country became the fifth country in Africa to introduce the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV), which has been recommended for control of typhoid in countries with a high burden of the disease-Kenya being one of them.

Typhoid fever remains a significant public health challenge in many developing countries, including Kenya. The disease, caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, is transmitted through contaminated food and water with communities that have poor access to clean water and sanitation facilities at particularly high risk. Typhoid disproportionately affects children under the age of 15 years and elderly and immuno-compromised individuals.