By Kamadi Amata

The Ministry of Health is targeting approximately 4 million children across nine high-risk counties for polio vaccination, following the reporting of five new cases in the country.

Speaking during a media stakeholder meeting on Monday morning, Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary (PS) Mary Muthoni confirmed that the polio outbreak requires urgent national attention, prompting the ministry to remain on high alert.

Out of the five cases, four have been reported at Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County, and the fifth case in Nairobi. The cases in Turkana are believed to be linked to outbreaks in neighboring countries, possibly introduced through the influx of refugees at the camp.

The case in Nairobi was detected through environmental surveillance, where laboratory stakeholders collect sewage samples between 5 A.M. and 7 A.M. daily. Through these tests, an active polio case was discovered in Nairobi’s Kamukunji area.

In response to the outbreak, the Ministry has identified Nairobi, Machakos, Kiambu, Kajiado, Turkana, Busia, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, and West Pokot as high-risk counties for the vaccination campaign, targeting children under the age of 10.

Additionally, PS Muthoni announced that the polio vaccination campaign will be conducted alongside Social Health Insurance registration, primarily managed by Community Health Promoters (CHPs).

Following the stakeholders’ event, the PS visited several CHP training centers in Nairobi, Kajiado, and Kiambu counties, where CHPs are being trained to handle the Social Health Authority registration process.

According to PS Muthoni, the 107,000 CHPs across the country will each cover a radius of approximately 100 households for registration. In cases where registration proves challenging, CHPs will refer individuals to existing NHIF centers for assistance.

This joint initiative, carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior, has already registered 2 million people.