Growing anxiety among parents as newborns miss out on polio, BCG vaccines

Nurse Jael Aran, administers a vaccine to an infant at Nyalenda Health Centre in Kisumu. Februry 9, 2025. [Harold Odhiambo, Standard] The past month has been one of distress and frustration for Edna Komen. Since delivering her baby at a private hospital in Eldoret, she has been on a desperate search for polio vaccine without success. The private hospital where she gave birth had run out of stock. A doctor referred her to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), but the vaccine was unavailable. Anxious for her newborn's health, Komen extended her search to several hospitals in Baringo, including Kabarnet, only to be met with the same response: "no polio vaccine". "I have made countless visits to hospitals, only to be turned away each time without my baby being vaccinated," regrets the mother. Even attempts to seek help through social media networks for mobilisation have yielded no results. Her anxiety is growing. "I am scared and frustrated. My baby turns one month today, yet he hasn't received the polio vaccine. The hospital where I delivered did not have it, and I have searched across Eldoret, Nandi, and Baringo counties, even in private hospitals with no luck," the worried mother tells The Standard. She adds, "I tried Baringo, but still nothing. This evening, someone told me I might get it at Kaptimbor Dispensary in Kabarnet, but that is not guaranteed either. As a mother, I am terrified for my child's health." Newborns are supposed to receive four doses of the polio vaccine: at birth (within 0-14 days), at 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14 weeks. Missing these polio jabs puts children at risk of contracting polio, a viral disease that can cause permanent paralysis or death. "I go to bed each night hoping to hear good news about vaccine supplies, but it remains just a dream. The hardest part is living in a state of helplessness, wondering why the government is letting us slide back to the days before vaccines were available," she laments. Faith Rikai, a first-time mother from Kilgoris in Narok County, is deeply concerned about the health and safety of her newborn. She delivered her baby at Kilgoris Sub-County Hospital on May 7, 2025, but was discharged without her child receiving any vaccines. At birth, she was expected to have her baby given Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and polio vaccines, but they were out of stock. "I was advised to return to the hospital in August when they hope the vaccines will be available," Rikai tells The Standard. This week, she travelled to Akemu and Nyacheka hospitals in the neighbouring Kisii County, but there too, the vaccines were unavailable. She was asked to revisit in August. The mother has now opted to breastfeed the baby, to keep him immune. "As a first-time mother, I am worried about everything. I know anything can go wrong. I am especially scared of disability," she says. Growing anxiety of the two mirrors that of hundreds of mothers with babies making repeated and fruitless visits in search of vaccines, as the stockout is reported across the country. Concerned, health experts are raising alarm over the risks babies are exposed to, likely to result in a resurgence of diseases. This is happening as the Ministry of Health remains reluctant to address the funding matter attributed to the current stock-outs, with Gavi the Vaccine Alliance that supports the purchase of newborn vaccines demanding that the Kenyan Government pay Sh1.6 billion as part of its co-financing obligation. BCG vaccines, administered to babies immediately at birth to boost their immunity and prevent Tuberculosis (TB), are supplied by the government, whereas polio is provided through support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. In Vihiga, there have been stockouts of BCG vaccines, with a limited supply of polio jabs. "BCG vaccines have been out of stock for the past month, with a short supply of polio that is only at the facility level. We have nothing in store, not unless it is replenished," said a senior health official who requested to remain anonymous. The source added, "Parents come to the hospital, but we keep booking and re-booking them as we wait for their supply from the government. We can do nothing about this". Head of Vaccines and Immunisation at the Ministry of Health, Rose Jalang'o Elsewhere, Kisumu has run out of polio vaccines. Jeronime Obwar, an Immunization Champion in the county, says Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) and Kisumu County hospital have some BCG supply, almost running out. "Polio is totally missing at all levels except in some private hospitals. We do not know what's up with KEMSA. We are about to face a breed of disabled children in large numbers if our leaders do not act with speed," says Obwar, questioning the safety of babies born every single day. Obwar now advises mothers to keep hunting for the vaccines, with those yet to get pregnant advised to have preconception talks. "For women yet to conceive, I advise them to weigh options because we are not sure how long the vaccine challenge is going to last. There are some forms of disability that mothers can prevent, as those caused by stockouts of polio and BCG vaccines," she says. To the government, the immunisation says, "Why are we shooting ourselves in our legs? Do we know the biggest challenge that's to befall us? Of what good is having a crippled generation, yet these are things that can be avoided? Let us act now," said the immunisation champion. Kilifi has a stockout of both polio and BCG in the respective hospitals. Examples of hospitals with stockouts are Malindi, Marafa hospitals, Kilifi General Hospital, and Mtwapa. "In Kilifi, we have a stout out of polio and BCG in our hospitals," said the county immunisation champion. In Kenya, routine childhood vaccinations are administered under the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI)-a programme largely supported by donors. However, this support is expected to end by 2029. Apart from support from Gavi, UNICEF has been leading efforts to reach zero-dose children (those who have never received a single vaccine). In Kenya, an estimated 300,000 children miss out on childhood vaccines every year, numbers anticipated to increase due to stockouts. Experts say that without funding a vaccination program, Kenya risks reversing decades of progress unless urgent action is taken to replace donor support, which has long sustained vaccination efforts but is now nearing an end. "In the past, before vaccines were introduced, newborns often suffered severe disabilities due to polio," said Prof Ruth Nduati, a paediatrician, adding, "Polio causes lifelong disability, and only vaccination can protect our children." The National Coordinator Network of TB Champions Kenya, Stephen Anguva, regretted that the stock out might cause a disaster in the coming few days and months. "It is very worrying seeing the Country face a Shortage of Critical Vaccines such as BCG," said Anguva. He added, "When any child goes without Immunisation, then we are failing our Future generation because this might lead to threatening diseases such as TB, Polio, among others. Some of these diseases cause disabilities that cannot be repaired," he told The Standard in an interview.He pleaded with the Government to step up and invest in immunisation and ensure uninterrupted supply of these critical Commodities for newborns. Several efforts by The Standard to get a response from the Health of Vaccination and Immunisation, Dr Rose Jalang'o, did not bear fruit as she does not pick calls, nor respond to text messages. The official is also alleged to be dismissive of immunisation officials manning counties, who claimed she also does not respond to them even in times of need. "We rarely share immunisation information from countries because when you do, you bring yourself to trouble. You will be quarreled and abused, and you cannot call her past 5 pm," said an official who requested anonymity. Three weeks ago, the Health Cabinet Secretary, Adan Duale, admitted the country was faced with a shortage of vaccines, which he promised to have supplied. Kenya's Gavi support comes to an end in 2029.

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