Kenya: Crucial TB, Meningitis Vaccine to Arrive mid Jan

Posted on :Tuesday , 12th January 2016

Relief as shortage of vaccine protecting children from contracting Tuberculosis (TB) and meningitis to arrive on Friday.

The Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine ran out in November 2015 prompting an emergency supply of about 1.3 million doses.

Head of the Immunisation Technical Group at the ministry Collins Tabu told the Nation that the vaccine would be distributed to health hospitals countrywide "as soon as possible".

"The shortage is an international crisis but we are handling it well. We will confirm the exact time the vaccine will be in the country and get back to you," Dr Tabu told this journalist.

On December 30, the Nation highlighted the problem of the missing vaccine in Nairobi, Uasin Gishu, Mombasa and other counties and how that exposed about 3,500 babies born daily to TB and other infections. At the time, Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu said the problem was beyond the government's control but expressed optimism that the shortage would end and the vaccines arrive "in the first week of January".

He added that nearly 4.7 million doses of the vaccine were procured in September through the United Nations Children's Fund but there were delivery delays.

According to the Unicef website, 180 million doses of BCG vaccine were required in 2015 but only 107 million were manufactured.

Children are at risk of getting TB because of their weak immunity. Chances of infection increase if someone in the household is suffering from the bacterial disease. It is difficult to diagnose the disease in children. Kenya is one of 22 countries which collectively account for about 80 per cent of the global TB cases. In 2012, Kenya reported 99,159 cases of the disease.

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