Kenya at risk of measles outbreak

What you need to know:

  • “Parents are often reluctant to take their children to hospital when they reach two years, reducing the chances of health personnel interacting with the children,” said Dr Tabu.
  • So far, five counties are leading in its use — Embu 81 per cent, Kirinyaga 74 per cent, Machakos 74 per cent, Makueni 67 per cent and Murang’a 62 per cent.
  • Speaking at an African regional measles-rubella technical advisory meeting, Health Principal Secretary Khadijah Kassachoon said lack of funding for vaccines was a major problem.

Kenya is among a number of African countries at risk of a measles outbreak because parents are not immunising their children.
The situation is compounded by the fact that governments are allocating insufficient funds to fight the disease, a World Health Organisation (WHO) technical committee on measles in Africa said on Sunday.

Since the introduction of the second dose of Measles-Containing Vaccine (MCV2) two years ago, there has been poor response from Kenyan parents and care givers.

Initially, children were given one dose of vaccine at nine months. However, in a bid to eliminate the disease, WHO recommended a second dose at 18 months.

The head of the Immunisation Technical Group, Dr Collins Tabu, said the popular notion that vaccination ends at nine months has greatly affected uptake of the second dose.

“Parents are often reluctant to take their children to hospital when they reach two years, reducing the chances of health personnel interacting with the children,” said Dr Tabu.

COUNTIES LAGGING BEHIND

Data from the Kenya Aids Vaccine Initiative shows that a large number of counties are lagging behind in adopting the second dose.

So far, five counties are leading in its use — Embu 81 per cent, Kirinyaga 74 per cent, Machakos 74 per cent, Makueni 67 per cent and Murang’a 62 per cent.

On the other hand, Mandera 7 per cent, Marsabit 8 per cent, Turkana 11 per cent, Wajir 18 per cent and Bomet 24 per cent have not fully embraced it.
The second dose of measles was introduced in Kenya in 2013 and plans are under way to introduce the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine in 2017 as part of the global plan to eliminate measles and rubella by 2020.

The government, with the help of global funding, will spend $16.5 million (about Sh1.6 billion) on a vaccination campaign targeting children between of nine and 15 years.

By the end of 2013, 15 out of 46 WHO member states, including Kenya, had introduced the second dose of measles vaccine.

Speaking at an African regional measles-rubella technical advisory meeting, Health Principal Secretary Khadijah Kassachoon said lack of funding for vaccines was a major problem.

“Eliminating the disease might remain a pipe dream unless a lot of emphasis is put on routine immunisation, vaccination and surveillance,” she said.
Addressing the conference, WHO Country Representative Custodia Mandlhate said more needs to be done to eradicate the disease.

“Regional measles vaccination coverage has not increased and measles incidence has remained high despite a significant increase in MCV1 coverage,” said Dr Mandlhate.

“Outbreaks continue to occur in the face of substantial progress and dramatic reduction in mortality rates,” she said.
Measles is one of the leading causes of death among children even though a cheap vaccine is available.