Kenya's Mpox vaccine rollout to prioritise over 10,000 truck drivers 

Thousands of truck drivers in Kenya will be among the first to receive the Mpox vaccine when it becomes available later this year, following new recommendations aimed at protecting those at the highest risk.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that vaccine priority be given to those most vulnerable, with a focus on preventing illness and death.

According to the Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers and Allied Workers Union, there are over 10,000 registered long-distance truck drivers in the country.

Kenya’s Ministry of Health has projected the country will require around two million doses of the Mpox vaccine, though the figure is contingent on the availability of supplies.

Four of the five Kenyans confirmed to have contracted Mpox so far are truck drivers, with the fifth being a trucker’s spouse.

WHO and its partners have set up an Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) to manage vaccine distribution and other Mpox-related treatments.

“The Access and Allocation Mechanism will increase access to these tools for people at highest risk and ensure that the limited supplies are used effectively and equitably,” WHO said in a statement.

Fifteen African countries have reported Mpox cases this year. WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said there is need for global collaboration to ensure equitable access to vaccines, citing lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We urge countries with supplies of vaccines and other products to come forward with donations to prevent infections, stop transmission, and save lives,” Ghebreyesus said.

Over 3.6 million doses of Mpox vaccines have been pledged to date. This includes 620,000 doses of the MVA-BN vaccine from the European Commission and several European countries, including Germany, France, and Belgium, as well as the United States.

Public Health PS Mary Muthoni during a visit to Illasit border post in Loitoktok and the Namanga One-Stop Border Point in Kajiado County to evaluate Mpox preparedness and response capabilities. (Photo: MoH)

Japan has made the largest single pledge of three million doses of the LC16 vaccine.

Equitable access

The AAM will prioritise vaccine distribution to those most at risk of infection, particularly contacts of confirmed cases while ensuring equitable access regardless of socio-economic or demographic factors.

WHO’s Executive Director of Health Emergencies Mike Ryan added that the AAM will maintain transparency in its allocation decisions and remain adaptable as new data and situations emerge.

“WHO and partners are supporting the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries to implement an integrated approach to case detection, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, clinical and home care, and infection prevention,” Ryan said.

“The AAM will provide a reliable pipeline of vaccines and other tools to ensure success on the ground in interrupting transmission and reducing suffering.”

Kenya recently confirmed its fifth case of Mpox on September 5. The patient is a 28-year-old woman from Mombasa, residing in the VOK area.

She is the spouse of the fourth confirmed Mpox case, who is currently being treated in Nakuru. The Ministry of Health indicated that she is in isolation at Utange Hospital’s Mpox centre.

“The patient has no travel history to a country reporting Mpox cases, though her spouse had recently returned from Rwanda on August 24,” Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa said.

As of September 6, Kenya has tested 124 samples for Mpox, with 110 yielding negative results, while nine remain under analysis. More than 700,000 travellers have been screened at 24 ports of entry, and 33 contacts are under observation.

According to the Ministry of Health, two of the five confirmed Mpox patients have recovered.

“Active surveillance for suspected cases is ongoing to control the spread of the disease,” Barasa added.