Kenya has received a shipment of three million doses of the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), a major boost to the country’s routine immunization programme aimed at protecting newborns and young children against tuberculosis (TB).
The consignment, delivered with the support of UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), comes at a critical time as the country faced dwindling supplies of key childhood vaccines. Only two weeks of BCG and Polio vaccines remained in stock, and Rota Virus vaccine levels were similarly low.
Principal Secretary for Medical Services, Dr. Ouma Oluga, who received the consignment on Wednesday evening, described the delivery as timely and essential for maintaining uninterrupted immunization services. “This delivery underscores the Ministry’s commitment to vaccine security and equitable access across all regions,” he said.
Dr. Oluga confirmed that distribution to counties would begin immediately to ensure no disruption in vaccination efforts. He was joined by senior officials from the Ministry of Health, including Dr. Bashir Issak, Head of the Directorate of Family Health, and Dr. Rose Jalango, Head of the National Vaccines and Immunization Programme (NVIP), along with representatives from UNICEF and WHO.
Reassuring the public, the PS emphasized that the government has activated the Zero-Dose Catch-Up Mechanism under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to ensure no child is left behind. “The Ministry reassures all Kenyans that no child will miss a single dose of any vaccine,” he said.
The delivery reinforces Kenya’s resolve to sustain routine immunization and protect its youngest citizens from preventable diseases like tuberculosis.
Written By Rodney Mbua
