Nairobi hopes to rout polio in vaccination drive
Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero administers polio vaccine to a child during the launch of the programme in Komarock on April 1, 2017. PHOTO | LILLIAN MUTAVI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- To prevent cases of polio, he said the country must maintain thorough and frequent immunization programmes.
With the polio vaccination drive afoot, the Nairobi County administration expects to increase Kenya's chances of becoming polio-free.
The campaign was launched on April 1 and is expected to end on 5th of this month, targeting over 700,000 children below the age of five.
Speaking during the launch at Calvary grounds in Komarock, Nairobi's health executive Bernard Muia said the disease can cause paralysis among children.
To prevent cases of polio, he said the country must maintain thorough and frequent immunization programmes and conduct surveillance.
The agents will use a door-to-door strategy, put up centres in schools, hospitals and churches so as to reach as many as possible.
He appealed to parents to make sure their children are vaccinated.
"Kindly ensure any child under five years in your community is vaccinated in the next five days in order to protect the child and create a polio-free Kenya."
According to the World Health Organization, 11 countries have been ruled as high risk: Migori, Garissa, Wajir, Turkana, Marsabit, Tana River, Lamu, Mandera, Narok, Homa Bay and Siaya.
