Turkana Health Officers Trained to Strengthen Vaccine Management and Boost Immunisation Coverage
According to the County Expanded Program on Immunisation Coordinator, Daniel Erus, impressive strides have been made in the Turkana vaccination drive.
Healthy Officers In Turkan County. Photo/Courtesy
Over 40 vaccine depot managers from sub-counties have undergone intensive training on vaccine handling, storage and distribution techniques in the County of Turkana, in efforts to improve immunisation and decrease the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases.
The training, organized by the Department of Health and Sanitation, was supported by the National Vaccination Program on Immunization and the United Nations Office for Project Services. Officials say the exercise is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the county’s technical capacity and ensure that vaccines reach communities safely and efficiently.
Speaking during the session, Acting Director for Preventive and Promotive Health Services Lucas Edete emphasized the need to identify gaps that pose a challenge to vaccine uptake across Turkana. He encouraged health workers to look into areas with declining vaccination numbers and resolve the prevailing challenges to improve overall coverage.
“We have to identify counties with low immunization rates and know the challenges so that we will increase our numbers. We are working towards achieving quality access to immunization for all,” said Edete. He reiterated that there was a need to optimize resources mobilized through partnerships at county levels, adding that the partnerships remained critical to enhancing health systems and immunization in the region.
According to the County Expanded Program on Immunisation Coordinator, Daniel Erus, impressive strides have been made in the Turkana vaccination drive. He said health facilities providing immunization services have increased significantly due to targeted county investments.
“The county government has increased the number of health facilities that can offer immunization services from 130 to 230. The increase has greatly enhanced the coverage, with many families accessing the lifesaving vaccines at convenient proximity,” noted Erus.
On his part, County Health Records and Information Director, Peter Etee, pointed out that the training will strengthen data-driven decision-making within the health sector. He observed that vaccine managers with improved data management skills are critical to planning, monitoring, and evaluation of immunisation performance in all sub-counties.
He added that there was a need to create expanded support for private health providers who also administer vaccines. According to KISEDP Director Godfrey Akolong, capacity building is important to ensure there is uniform quality and safety across Turkana’s immunisation network.
“Private clinics play an active role in service delivery; making sure they get similar training helps promote consistency, safety, and accountability across the entire immunisation ecosystem,” Akolong said.
Aroo Sub-County Medical Officer of Health, Veronica Ereng, termed the training timely and important for sustaining vaccine potency. She said the exercise allows depot managers to stay updated on the cold-chain systems, a key component in preserving the efficacy of vaccines. The meeting was attended by county and sub-county health management teams, medical officers of health, and EPI depot managers from different regions, marking Turkana’s commitment to strengthening preventive healthcare and protecting communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.
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