Malindi measles resurgence linked to low vaccination rates
Sub-county Public Health Officer Alex Maitha said many children still lack the full two doses of the measles-rubella jab, despite recent nationwide campaigns.
Health workers in Malindi are racing against time after measles resurfaced in the sub-county, exposing long-standing gaps in childhood immunisation.
Four children from Shella in Malindi town have already been diagnosed, prompting an urgent vaccination drive targeting households and schools. Officials say the disease’s return is a reminder of the dangers of leaving children unprotected.
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Sub-county Public Health Officer Alex Maitha said many children still lack the full two doses of the measles-rubella jab, despite recent nationwide campaigns.
“We have identified cases in Malindi, and our teams are going door-to-door. Too many children missed their boosters, and this is why we are seeing outbreaks,” he said.
The county has also been put on alert for Mpox, with tests underway on samples from Kilifi and over 140 infections already logged in neighbouring Mombasa.
Maitha urged residents to prepare for possible vaccination should the need arise.
Other senior health officials voiced similar worries. Nursing Services Coordinator Esther Kasichana said uptake of the HPV vaccine, which prevents cervical cancer, has stalled at below ten per cent.
“Parents and even some teachers remain sceptical. This reluctance is hurting efforts to protect children, especially the youngest,” she said.
By mid-year, immunisation coverage in Malindi was only 35 per cent, far short of the 90 per cent target by December, according to Immunisation Coordinator John Karisa.
He urged parents to make use of the 23 health facilities in the area that offer free routine vaccines.
Community leaders have also been roped in. Malindi cleric Famau Mohammed Famau dismissed claims that vaccines are unsafe, insisting that faith should not be used as an excuse to deny children protection.
“Parents must rise to their responsibility. There is no religious teaching that forbids safeguarding the health of children,” he said.
Health officials are now banking on wider community engagement to rebuild trust, raise coverage rates, and shield the sub-county from repeated outbreaks of preventable illnesses.
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