Sensitize public on importance of vaccines

Immunisation is one of the surest ways of keeping some of the killer diseases at bay, yet statistics show at least 400,000 children miss out on the life-saving vaccines.

According to Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu, after a consultative meeting with health donors and other players in March, the success rate in reaching the 1.5 million children born annually is 80 per cent. The initiative has met challenges, some of which are blamed on devolution.

In Mandera and most parts of Northern Kenya, barely half the children benefit from vaccines, but this must change. In part, cultural mores make it hard to vaccinate children in some areas but in some cases, it is negligence by those charged with the responsibility. Last year, there was concern that money meant for vaccines had been misappropriated.

For some time, it was assumed polio had been eradicated, but new cases have been reported. Currently, there is an outbreak of Meningitis in Nigeria that had, by last week, claimed 800 lives.

It may look like we are far from Nigeria, but pathogens have a way of jumping borders and that means we must be prepared at all times.

Malaria being one of the leading killers in Kenya, it is important that we take advantage of the pilot project to vaccinate Kenyans against malaria and encourage women to also take advantage of plans to vaccinate 3.5 million women against cervical cancer, which has been observed to be on the rise.