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Source: https://allafrica.com/stories/202107010109.html
Kenya: Why Measles is Still Headache for Kenya
30 June 2021
The Nation (Nairobi)
By Leon Lidigu and Angela Oketch
As Kenya was coming to terms with Covid-19 last year, a "worrisome" measles outbreak was happening.
"Immunisation coverage dropped due to Covid-19. If nothing is done now we will have an outbreak like in the DRC," Dr Collins Tabu, the head of Kenya's National Vaccines and Immunization Program told HealthyNation.
In the last one-and-a-half years, the cases of measles, the world's fastest spreading virus, has increased by more than 700 per cent in the country, said the Health ministry.
Dr Tabu termed the trend worrisome, prompting the government to launch a vaccination campaign targeting 3.9 million.
The expert observed that within the country, there has been a gradual rise in the number of cases, which would lead to about 2.1 million children being susceptible to the disease.
Following a nationwide risk assessment conducted by the Ministry 22 counties were identified for a vaccination campaign.
Dr Peter Okoth, a health specialist at Unicef, which is helping the ministry procure the vaccines, said these counties were selected for being "high risk".
The counties are Kilifi, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Tana River, Trans Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet.
Others are Busia, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Kajiado, Nairobi, Bomet, Bungoma, Kakamega, Narok and Vihiga.
"From October 2019 to date we have registered 786 cases and two deaths .There is an active outbreak in West Pokot after Mandera and a gradual rise in the number of cases," said Dr Tabu.
Kenya: Why Measles is Still Headache for Kenya
30 June 2021
The Nation (Nairobi)
By Leon Lidigu and Angela Oketch
As Kenya was coming to terms with Covid-19 last year, a "worrisome" measles outbreak was happening.
"Immunisation coverage dropped due to Covid-19. If nothing is done now we will have an outbreak like in the DRC," Dr Collins Tabu, the head of Kenya's National Vaccines and Immunization Program told HealthyNation.
In the last one-and-a-half years, the cases of measles, the world's fastest spreading virus, has increased by more than 700 per cent in the country, said the Health ministry.
Dr Tabu termed the trend worrisome, prompting the government to launch a vaccination campaign targeting 3.9 million.
The expert observed that within the country, there has been a gradual rise in the number of cases, which would lead to about 2.1 million children being susceptible to the disease.
Following a nationwide risk assessment conducted by the Ministry 22 counties were identified for a vaccination campaign.
Dr Peter Okoth, a health specialist at Unicef, which is helping the ministry procure the vaccines, said these counties were selected for being "high risk".
The counties are Kilifi, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Tana River, Trans Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet.
Others are Busia, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Kajiado, Nairobi, Bomet, Bungoma, Kakamega, Narok and Vihiga.
"From October 2019 to date we have registered 786 cases and two deaths .There is an active outbreak in West Pokot after Mandera and a gradual rise in the number of cases," said Dr Tabu.