MoH: Why you should take your child for second round of polio vaccination

The Ministry of Health has reassured the public that the recent side effects linked to the polio vaccine, which followed the nationwide vaccination campaign from October 2-6, 2024, are coincidental and unrelated to the vaccine. This clarification comes after reports of two children's deaths, which had raised concerns among parents and guardians.

In a statement released on Saturday, Dr Patrick Amoth, Director General of the Ministry of Health, noted that polio is a highly infectious and debilitating disease that can cause paralysis and even death within hours in young children who are not vaccinated.

The Ministry also reaffirmed the importance of polio vaccination, which remains the most effective preventive measure against the disease.

Dr Amoth explained that the polio vaccine—both the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) and the inactivated polio Vaccine (IPV) – are safe and effective in protecting children under the age of 5 from polio.

These vaccines are given to infants at birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks, and 14 weeks, as part of the routine immunisation schedule. During outbreaks, all children aged 0-59 months are vaccinated, regardless of their previous immunisation status.

While the Ministry acknowledged that minor side effects can sometimes occur after vaccination, they assured the public that any adverse events reported are typically short-lived and not a direct result of the vaccine.

Dr Amoth reiterated that the Kenya National Vaccine Safety Advisory Committee (KNVSAC) had thoroughly investigated the recent concerns and found that the reported reactions were unrelated to the vaccine and had resolved over time.

"Vaccines are designed to stimulate an immune response and, like any medical intervention, may carry a small risk to a minority of children. However, these side effects are rare and are often resolved quickly. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh any potential risks."

Director-General of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth. (File)

The Ministry of Health continues to urge all parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive the full schedule of immunisations, including the second round of the polio vaccination campaign, which is taking place from November 9 to 13, 2024.

Dr Amoth emphasised that achieving high vaccination coverage is crucial to eradicating polio in Kenya and globally.

"Polio is a preventable disease, and through vaccination, we can protect our children and eventually eradicate it. We encourage everyone to participate in this important effort by bringing their children for vaccination during the ongoing campaign."

The October 2 to 6, 2024 polio vaccine campaign targeted nine high-risk counties, including Nairobi, Busia, and Turkana.

The Ministry received 23 reports of adverse events from concerned parents and caregivers, who raised issues about potential post-vaccination reactions. These reports came from both local health facilities and through the Ministry's mobile helpline.

Following a thorough review by the KNVSAC, which convened on October 23-24, the Ministry clarified that 16 of the reported cases were classified as non-serious, including mild symptoms such as rashes, fever, and mild gastrointestinal issues.

However, seven cases were deemed serious, with symptoms ranging from fever and skin rashes to convulsions and limb weakness. Tragically, two of these cases resulted in fatalities.

Further investigation revealed that 18 of the cases were linked to unrelated underlying health conditions, while four cases were confirmed as mild vaccine-related reactions. One case remains inconclusive due to insufficient data.

Despite these incidents, the Ministry emphasised that over 3.6 million children successfully received the polio vaccine and are healthy, reinforcing that the vaccine remains generally safe.

If parents have any concerns or want to report adverse reactions, the Ministry of Health encourages them to contact local health facilities or call the dedicated helpline at *271#.