More than 3.5 million children have been immunized with the Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine since Kenya launched its nationwide vaccination campaign on July 5, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said.

In a statement issued on July 12, CS Duale said a parallel rollout of the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) has seen over 12.1 million children inoculated against typhoid, bringing the total number of beneficiaries under both programmes to millions.

The MR campaign targets 6.5 million children, while 19.2 million are expected to receive the TCV jab across the country.

“Encouragingly, more than 4,000 children who had never received any vaccine before commonly known as zero-dose children have now been vaccinated against both measles-rubella and typhoid. This is a major gain in bolstering community protection,” said Duale.

The free vaccines are being offered at various public sites including health centers, schools, places of worship, marketplaces, and through mobile and door-to-door outreach efforts led by trained health workers.

With the main phase of the campaign set to end in three days, and two additional mop-up days to follow, the Ministry of Health is urging all parents and guardians to ensure their children are vaccinated before the window closes.

Duale reiterated that the MR and TCV vaccines are not only safe and effective but also approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) after rigorous safety assessments at both global and local levels.

He lauded caregivers, health personnel, religious leaders, community mobilisers, and the general public for their overwhelming response and support for the immunization drive.

“From bustling towns to remote villages, Kenyans have shown unwavering commitment to shielding children from these vaccine-preventable yet life-threatening diseases,” he noted.

While reaffirming the government’s resolve to eliminate diseases through vaccination, Duale cautioned the public against misinformation and urged citizens to rely solely on verified information from the Ministry of Health, licensed medical experts, and trusted partners.

“Misinformation is dangerous and puts lives especially those of our children at risk,” he warned.