The campaign targeted about 3.4 million children in high-risk counties
By Ivy Maloy
Machakos County government through the Ministry of Health and emergency services has vaccinated 239,367 children under the age of 5 years against polio during the just concluded countrywide polio campaign.
Speaking in Machakos town, the County Executive for Health, Dr. Ancent Kituku Nzioka noted that the county, which had targeted to vaccinate 230,565 against the deadly disease managed to surpass its target by 3.6 per cent. “We managed to immunize 239,367 children which translates to 103.6 per cent of the target,” said Nzioka.
“We closed our meeting for Round 2 Polio supplemental immunization activity between the Machakos County Ministry of Health, World Health Organization and United Nations Office of Project services among other county health representatives,” added Nzioka.
He said that this was made possible by 521 mobile teams, 45 fixed sites that consisted of vaccinators and volunteers not to forget a team of 108 supervisors. “I take this opportunity to thank our Healthcare workers and development partners for executing the activity very well,” he added.
The second phase of the Polio supplemental immunization activity, which kicked off on 17th of this month was being conducted across 13 high-risk counties including Machakos. Speaking during the launch of the campaign, Nzioka pointed out that the activity was conducted in designated areas within the county’s nine sub-counties.
He urged those living in gated communities especially in Syokimau area in Mavoko sub-county to allow the polio teams to gain access so that more children can be vaccinated within the stipulated time. The Health county executive pointed that those who will be conducting the immunizations are distinctly identifiable through their mode of dressing and the Ministry of Health permits work tags.
Machakos has nine sub-counties namely Machakos town, Mavoko, Kathiani, Kagundo, Matungulu, Kalama, Yatta, Mwala and Masinga. The Campaign targeted about 3.4 million children in 13 high-risk counties including Garissa, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kitui, Lamu, Machakos, Mandera, Mombasa, Nairobi, Tana River and Wajir.
The Ministry of Health had directed that the exercise be conducted through house-to-house visits by vaccination teams, in an exercise that was conducted in strict conformity with Covid-19 health protocols.
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