Kenya to begin Mpox vaccination next month

The Ministry of Health will commence Mpox vaccinations in December as it seeks to protect Kenyans from the virus, which has already impacted health outcomes in some African countries.

According to the Ministry’s Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, initial doses of the vaccine are expected to arrive in the country shortly, following efforts to secure the vaccine through the Africa CDC. Reports indicate that the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has already begun vaccinating people in three African countries—DRC, Rwanda, and Nigeria.

Only 5.6 million doses of the Mpox vaccine have been obtained so far, due to high costs. The Africa CDC is working closely with the WHO, GAVI, and UNICEF to secure additional doses.

Kenya has been praised for its proactive efforts to keep Mpox at bay, with Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni recognised for establishing a multi-sectoral team to devise a comprehensive strategy against the virus.

Over the weekend, PS Muthoni chaired a multi-sectoral meeting to assess the effectiveness of current measures and identify new interventions.

PS Muthoni noted that the country has intensified surveillance at its borders, with 1.5 million travellers screened as of Friday.

Dr Sultani Matendechero, the Deputy Health Director General in charge of public health, commended Kenya’s progress, stating that the country is on the right track with Mpox management and serves as an example to others.

The Africa CDC reports that approximately 9,000 of the 45,000 Mpox cases across the continent have been confirmed in laboratories.

Health Director-General Patrick Amoth, in August, announced that Kenya would receive 2 million doses of the vaccine from the Denmark-based Nordic manufacturing company by December. He clarified that, given the limited supply, the government will prioritise the most vulnerable groups for vaccination, similar to the approach used during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“At some point, we will reintroduce vaccines in the country. The Africa CDC has stated that Africa needs 10 million doses of the vaccine, and we have assurances from the Nordic manufacturer that we will have about 2 million doses by the end of the year,” he said.

“But the vaccine won’t be available to everyone due to limited supply, so we will prioritise those most at risk.”

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It spreads primarily through contact with an infected person, contaminated personal items, or sexual contact.

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