The government has announced a new polio vaccination drive despite several reports of severe side effects related to the vaccine.
On Friday, November 8, 2024, the Ministry of Health confirmed two fatalities following its investigation into the adverse events reported after the October 2024 polio vaccination campaign.
The new drive will be conducted from November 9 to 13, 2024, in Busia, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado.
“The polio vaccination campaign is here to protect our children’s future! From November 9th to 13th, 2024, make sure your child is vaccinated in any of these high-risk counties: Busia, Bungoma, Trans-Nzoia, West Pokot, Turkana, Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado,” the Ministry of Health announced.
Polio vaccine effects
The initial campaign ran in Nairobi, Busia, Bungoma, Turkana, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado from October 2 to 6, 2024.
After the exercise, the government received 23 reports from parents and caregivers expressing concern over post-vaccination symptoms.
The Ministry immediately called upon the Kenya National Vaccines Safety Advisory Committee (KNVSAC) to review the reported cases.
16 of the 23 cases involved symptoms such as mild rashes, fever, conjunctivitis, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea, which the committee deemed typical of mild vaccine reactions.
However, seven cases were classified as serious, with symptoms ranging from convulsions, severe fever, weakness in the lower limbs, to herpes zoster (shingles).
The Ministry says five of these serious cases have since been resolved, but two tragically resulted in fatalities.
“Seven (7) of the reported cases were serious presenting with generalized red and sometimes itchy bumps in the skin and fever, weakness of the lower limbs, convulsions, diarrhoea and vomiting and herpes zoster. An analysis of the serious and non-serious events showed that 16 of the reported cases had resolved while five (5) are in the process of resolving. Two (2) of the reported cases unfortunately resulted in death,” the Ministry of Health said.
Following further investigation, health authorities determined that 18 of the reported cases were coincidental, linked to underlying health conditions or other factors unrelated to the vaccine.
These included pre-existing health issues and environmental exposures to infections.
Four cases were deemed to be direct reactions to the vaccine, primarily consisting of rashes and fever.