Kenya vaccinates over 21 million children against typhoid, measles
He said that the typhoid vaccine has achieved 84 per cent national coverage while the measles vaccine reached 81 per cent.
Kenya has vaccinated some 21.3 million children against typhoid and measles in its latest campaign against the two infectious diseases, the biggest vaccination drive in the East African nation's history, a government official has said.
Aden Duale, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health, said in a statement released on Tuesday evening in Nairobi that 16.1 million children received the typhoid conjugate vaccine, and 5.18 million children were vaccinated against measles and rubella.
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"Over 74,000 zero-dose children who had never received routine immunisation were identified and vaccinated, a remarkable milestone in our efforts not to leave anyone behind," Duale said.
He said that the typhoid vaccine has achieved 84 per cent national coverage while the measles vaccine reached 81 per cent.
The typhoid vaccine has now been incorporated in Kenya's national vaccination drive to fight drug-resistant forms of the disease, the Ministry of Health said.
According to the World Health Organization, typhoid fever is caused by the bacterium Salmonella typhi, which spreads through contaminated food and water, while measles is one of the leading causes of death among young children worldwide.
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