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Kenya on course to achieve polio free status: officials

Xinhua, April 7, 2016 Adjust font size:

Kenya is inching closer to becoming a polio-free nation thanks to scaling up of immunization programs targeting the vulnerable demographics alongside intensive surveillance and public awareness, officials said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a national immunization stakeholder's forum in Nairobi, ministry of health officials said Kenya could achieve polio free status before the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended deadline of 2018.

Jackson Kioko, the acting Director of Medical Services in the ministry of health said Kenya has outshone other east African neighbors in the war against polio and other infectious diseases.

"The targeted interventions we rolled out recently with development partners to achieve polio free status are paying off and since July 2013, no case has been reported in the country," Kioko said.

He disclosed the ministry of health will conduct a five day national polio immunization campaign from April 9-13 targeting 8.9 million children.

The new polio vaccination drive will be a follow up to an earlier one conducted in March in thirteen high risk counties.

Kenya has applied global best practices to deter future polio infections despite the country's vulnerability to the viral disease.

According to Kioko, state agencies have concentrated efforts in surveillance, public education and routine vaccination to ward off the highly contagious viral disease that causes paralysis to victims.

"We have created a very resilient surveillance system to boost the war against polio. Other measures include regular immunization and hygiene education in remote areas," said Kioko.

The WHO says that globally, a total of 359 polio cases were detected in 2014 but the figure dropped to 74 in 2015.

Kenya is a signatory to the WHO declaration on achieving polio free status by 2018.

Daniel Langat, a vaccines specialist in the ministry of health told Xinhua the government has revamped health care infrastructure in remote settings to enhance response to polio.

"Kenya is ahead in the polio fight compared to our neighbours. Our surveillance indicators are sound while the response to any new infection is usually swift," said Langat. Endit