Mass vaccination drive starts after 18 measles deaths cited
By Mercy Kachenge, Vallary Akinyi and George Kebaso, July 3, 2025Kenya has launched a 10-day integrated measles-rubella and typhoid conjugate vaccine campaign targeting over 15 million children, following 18 preventable deaths from 2,949 confirmed measles cases recorded between January 2024 and February 2025.
The nationwide campaign, running from July 5-14 across all 47 counties, aims to reach children aged nine months to 14 years with the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) and those aged nine to 59 months with the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine.
Rising disease burden
In 2025 alone, measles spread to 25 counties, with over 150 confirmed cases.
The outbreak highlights gaps in the country’s immunisation coverage, which stands at just 83 per cent for the first measles-rubella dose and 60 per cent for the second, well below the 95 per cent coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.
Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth stressed the urgency of the situation, noting that about 30,000 children annually never interact with any vaccination programme.
He warned that each year, cumulatively, these numbers increase, and this will pose a significant risk for major outbreaks that could disrupt the healthcare system.
“With just a single dose, the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) provides up to five years of protection,” he said on July 2, 2025, in Nairobi, assuring the country of its safety, effectiveness.
Typhoid presents an equally serious challenge, with Kenya recording nearly 100,000 cases annually.
The disease disproportionately affects vulnerable children in informal settlements and communities lacking clean water and sanitation. Climate change and urbanisation have exacerbated the spread of drug-resistant typhoid strains.
Breakthrough vaccine technology
The campaign introduces Kenya’s first typhoid conjugate vaccine, which provides up to five years of protection with a single dose. “This vaccine marks a turning point,” Amoth said, highlighting its particular effectiveness for children under 15 years who bear the greatest typhoid burden, with those under five at highest risk of death.
The vaccine specifically targets antimicrobial-resistant typhoid, addressing a growing public health threat that conventional treatments struggle to manage.
Government funding commitment
The government has demonstrated its commitment by exceeding its GAVI Vaccine Alliance co-financing obligations for 2024/2025. Kenya was required to pay Ksh1.6 billion but contributed Ksh1.93 billion, with the excess funding designated for procuring additional traditional vaccines.
For the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the government has allocated Ksh4.9 billion for vaccine procurement and ancillary supplies, aimed at preventing the shortages experienced in recent years.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is working with National Treasury counterpart John Mbadi to ensure vaccine funding remains protected from budget variations.
Kenya’s co-financing obligation to GAVI stood at Ksh1.25 billion for over six million vaccine doses, with a June 30, 2025, deadline.
Meeting this obligation was crucial for maintaining immunisation progress and preventing vaccine stockouts that would have left millions of children unvaccinated.
Addressing pandemic disruptions
The campaign responds to immunisation disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent vaccine shortages. WHO Country Representative Dr Abdourahmane Diallo described the initiative as “a monumental step forward in Kenya’s collective fight against preventable disease”.
The effort targets over 22 million children – representing 40 per cent of Kenya’s population – including those who missed routine immunisations due to supply disruptions.
Amoth clarified that only BCG and oral polio vaccines were critically low and have since been replenished.
Strategic implementation
The campaign employs what officials call a “Big Catch Up” mechanism designed to reach all children, leaving no one behind.
The government has developed four strategic communication tools to drive vaccine demand and combat misinformation.
Beyond logistics and numbers, the campaign reflects a cultural shift in public health, where prevention is prioritised, systems are strengthened, and every child counts, Amoth stated.
The initiative represents collaboration between the ministries of Health and Education alongside multiple stakeholders, emphasising the constitutional right to health and the need to protect all children from preventable diseases.