Health authorities launch 10-day mpox vaccination drive at Malaba border
The exercise comes as Busia County continues to record a rising number of mpox cases, highlighting the need for urgent preventive action.
Health authorities have launched a 10-day mpox vaccination campaign at the Kenya-Uganda border town of Malaba, aiming to protect people who face high exposure along the Northern Corridor.
The exercise comes as Busia County continues to record a rising number of mpox cases, highlighting the need for urgent preventive action.
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Subcounty mpox and noncommunicable diseases coordinator Gloria Ojune reported that 330 people were vaccinated on the first day.
“The turnout was so impressive. We have two static vaccination sites at Safe Stop near the bus park and Port Health, while the remaining vaccinating team will be mobile within the hotspots,” she said.
The campaign was formally launched by Malaba North ward administrator John Ikojot, representing Teso North subcounty administrator Silas Juma. Ikojot noted that Teso North is particularly vulnerable, with one-third of Busia’s reported cases coming from the area.
“We must sensitise our people about the lurking dangers. We call upon all groups of people who are at high risk to take the jab against the disease,” he said.
The initiative targets truck drivers, hotel staff, and boda boda operators, who frequently interact along the corridor.
“We are engaged in mobilisation along the Northern Corridor between Kocholia and Malaba One Stop Border Post,” Ikojot added, stressing community participation as essential for success.
Busia is among three counties selected for the WHO-backed vaccination drive, alongside Nakuru and Mombasa, due to their strategic location on major transport routes.
WHO representative Charles Mulwa highlighted the importance of vaccinating the most exposed groups to prevent further spread of mpox.
Kenya Revenue Authority representative Walter Ouma urged cooperation among the targeted groups, cautioning, “You don’t know whom you will come into contact with.”
Kenya’s outbreak remains relatively modest compared to other high-burden countries.
Uganda, for instance, has reported 6,296 cases and four deaths in 2025 alone, with 791 of those cases occurring in the past six weeks.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains the worst-hit country, with over 14,000 confirmed cases this year and more than 1,000 reported in just the last six weeks. Sierra Leone follows with 4,967 cases and 21 deaths in 2025, making it the deadliest outbreak on the continent so far.
“Uganda continues to experience community transmission, reporting the third-highest number of laboratory-confirmed cases on the continent,” WHO says. Young adults aged 20–29 years remain the most affected, and notably, nearly half of all deaths in Uganda were among people living with HIV.
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