At least 300,000 children in the country are lagging behind vaccination schedules following an acute shortage of jabs that was being experienced.
Among those who delayed in accessing the vaccinations accounts for 18 percent of the infants. The ministry head Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha said it was in a rush to deliver vaccines to several areas across the country in a bid to mitigate effects of the shortages attributed to supply chain problems and delayed payments
She said the situation was under control despite the missed vaccination schedules.”The situation is under control now, but we’re working hard to get all these children vaccinated,” said Nakhumicha. She regretted the delays in disbursing funds to Gavi, the Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, and UNICEF, who are key suppliers of these vaccines.
“Part of the disbursement was made last week and we’re pushing for accelerated procurement to ensure a steady supply moving forward.” The ministry, she explained, was collaborating with county governments to track down parents and guardians whose children missed their shots.
She urged the parents and guardians to take their children to the nearest health facility to receive the essential vaccinations.