A healthcare
worker is
vaccinated
against
influenza during
the drive in
Lake Region
counties
/HILTON OTENYO
Vaccination of healthcare workers against influenza in Lake Region counties has been launched.
The vaccination targets to reach more than 27,000 medics in Kakamega, Siaya and Nakuru, as well as in Mombasa county, in three weeks.
Dr Eric Osoro of Washington State Global Health–Kenya, said the programme is in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Center for Disease Control.
During the launch of the exercise in Kakamega on Friday, Osoro said the Ministry of Health recommends Influenza, Hepatitis B and Typhoid vaccination for healthcare workers because of the nature of their work.
“This time we are talking about influenza vaccination. Although it has been in the policy, it has not been rolled out to the rest of the country. As part of planning for the rollout, we are undertaking this exercise in four counties to learn more on how the vaccine can be rolled out to the rest of the country,” Osoro said, adding that influenza vaccination should be conducted annually.
The drive is the second phase of the pilot programme after the first was conducted in 2023, in which Kakamega achieved 88 per cent coverage.
The county’s Medical Services chief officer, David Allilah, said the exercise is necessary to control the possible spread of the influenza virus from healthcare workers to patients and vice versa.
Chief officer for Public Health, Rose Muhanda, said the county will push to achieve 100 per cent reach, to enable the government to include it in the national vaccination programme.
“I am encouraging all our healthcare workers from the community level to be vaccinated because most of the time we are the first contact with our patients. We want to prevent infection from the healthcare providers or infection from patients to the healthcare provider,” Muhanda said.
Influenza is a viral infection that affects the respiratory system.
It can lead to hospitalisation and even death, especially in severe cases or among vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children under five, patients above 65 years and those with chronic illnesses.
