Kenya receives 3 million BCG doses as Ministry of Health races to end vaccine shortage
The consignment follows Oluga’s earlier statement on June 6 that vaccine stock levels were dropping and that 12 out of the 47 counties had completely run out of BCG vaccines.
Kenya has received three million doses of the BCG vaccine to address a growing shortage that had disrupted routine immunisation in several counties and left thousands of children unprotected against tuberculosis.
The consignment was received on Wednesday evening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Principal Secretary for Medical Services Ouma Oluga, alongside officials from the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
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“The vaccines, delivered with the support of UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO), came at a critical time to replenish national stocks and sustain Kenya’s routine immunisation programme,” the Ministry of Health said.
Distribution to counties will begin immediately to ensure protection of newborns and young children is not interrupted, the Ministry confirmed.
Oluga was accompanied by the Head of the Directorate of Family Health, Bashir Issak, the Head of the National Vaccines and Immunisation Programme, Rose Jalango, and senior officials from partner organisations.
The consignment follows Oluga’s earlier statement on June 6 that vaccine stock levels were dropping and that 12 out of the 47 counties had completely run out of BCG vaccines.
He had warned of mounting challenges in the immunisation programme but assured the public that interventions were underway.
“We have put in place the Zero-Dose Catch-Up Mechanism under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to ensure that no child misses a single dose of any vaccine,” he said.
Oluga added that the Ministry is actively working with counties to redistribute existing stocks.
“The Ministry is actively redistributing available vaccine stocks in collaboration with the County Government to ensure equitable access to all Kenyans in all regions,” he said.
He attributed the crisis to global supply bottlenecks affecting vaccine availability in many countries, including Kenya.
To prevent future disruptions, the Ministry is developing a strategic vaccine reserve for all 47 counties to support continued access and faster response in case of shortages.
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