Gov't receives 3 million BCG doses amid vaccine shortage

The Ministry of Health has received three million doses of the BCG vaccine to restore routine immunisation and prevent further disruption of child vaccinations across the country.

The shipment, supported by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, arrived on Wednesday evening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and will be distributed to counties immediately.

Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga, who received the consignment, said it came at a critical time when the country’s vaccine stock levels were dwindling and some counties had run out completely.

“The vaccines, delivered with the support of UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), came at a critical time to replenish national stocks and sustain Kenya’s routine immunization programme,” the Ministry of Health said.

Oluga was joined at JKIA by the Head of the Directorate of Family Health Bashir Issak, Head of the National Vaccines and Immunization Programme Rose Jalango, and senior officials from UNICEF and WHO.

The Ministry said the immediate focus will be to distribute the vaccines nationwide to protect newborns and young children from tuberculosis.

Twelve of the country’s 47 counties had already run out of BCG vaccines, with others facing low stock levels.

Oluga acknowledged the growing pressure on the immunisation programme, which has faced serious challenges in recent months due to global supply chain disruptions.

On June 6, Oluga had warned that the country was facing a shortage, but promised that delivery and distribution would be completed by June 15.

“We have put in place the Zero-Dose Catch-Up Mechanism under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to ensure that no child misses a single dose of any vaccine,” he said.

He added that the Ministry had started redistributing available stocks and was working with county governments to ensure no region was left behind.

“The Ministry is actively redistributing available vaccine stocks in collaboration with the County Government to ensure equitable access to all Kenyans in all regions,” he said.

Oluga linked the shortages to global vaccine supply bottlenecks that have affected many countries, including Kenya.

He said the government is now working on creating a strategic vaccine reserve in all 47 counties to improve access and ensure rapid response in future emergencies.