Vaccination campaign targets Rubella and Typhoid in Uasin Gishu
Parents lined up with their children to receive the vaccines, which health officials described as safe and vital to preventing life-threatening illnesses.
Health officials addressing pupils of Huruma primary school during the launch of he vaccine.
By Jessica Nyaboke
A vaccination drive against rubella and typhoid was launched at Huruma Primary School in Uasin Gishu County, targeting children under 5 years old, Thursday, July 4.
Parents lined up with their children to receive the vaccines, which health officials described as safe and vital to preventing life-threatening illnesses. The campaign aims to improve immunity and reduce childhood mortality across the county.
Michael Mwasame, a researcher with the Uasin Gishu health department, emphasized the importance of the effort, noting that measles — another preventable disease — can lead to blindness or permanent disability.
“These vaccines will help us prevent unnecessary deaths among children under five,” Mwasame said.
Statistics show that in the past year, Uasin Gishu ranked among the top 15 counties in Kenya for measles cases, recording more than 18 child fatalities.
The county plans to vaccinate at least 430 children throughout July.
Evans Kiprotich, the county’s director of medical services, said the campaign will run from July 5 to July 14 and will include outreach at local churches on weekends to reach more families.
“We are targeting all children under five and asking parents to cooperate with health officials,” Kiprotich said. “Prevention is better than cure.”
County Health CEO Dr. Paul Wangwe advised families to maintain hygiene by washing hands after using the toilet and boiling drinking water to avoid typhoid infections, which are commonly linked to contaminated food and water.
A spot check by reporters found that many adult residents in the area suffer from typhoid due to unsafe water sources and poor food handling practices.
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