PICTURE: An elderly adult receiving Oral Cholera Vaccine
Ministry of Health has kicked off Oral Cholera Vaccination in 8 counties across the country, namely; Suba South (Homa Bay), Kajiado East (Kajiado), Moyale (Marsabit), Kamukunji and Embakasi Central (Nairobi), Wajir North (Wajir), Mandera East (Mandera), Machakos, and Garissa in response to the ongoing cholera outbreak that has affected the nation since October 2022.
As of July 18th, 2023, the government had reported 11,181 cholera cases and 196 fatalities across 26 counties. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) at 1.7%, highlighting the seriousness of the problem and the crucial need for immediate intervention.
In February 2023, 2.2 million persons over the age of one were successfully vaccinated in Nairobi, Garissa, Tana River, and Wajir, resulting in a considerable drop in cholera cases in those locations.
To capitalize on this accomplishment, the International Coordinating Group (ICG) has given the Ministry of Health 1,533,199 doses of the Oral Cholera Vaccine for the upcoming campaign.