A dangerous trend of forging yellow fever vaccination cards is putting lives at risk, even as Kenya grapples with rising mosquito-borne diseases including dengue, chikungunya, and drug-resistant malaria.

Yellow fever, which remains a serious threat in the country due to its classification as an endemic zone, has prompted medical experts to warn of its highly contagious nature and deadly consequences if not addressed promptly.

Vaccination remains the best way to prevent yellow fever, a disease that affects nearly two million people across sub-Saharan Africa each year and leads to many deaths if untreated.

Confirmed cases of yellow fever in Uganda earlier this year and fresh reports from Kenya’s Rift Valley have heightened health concerns and led to stricter travel regulations. Travellers, especially those leaving East Africa, must now show proof of immunisation to enter certain countries.

Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca for Hajj are among those required to present valid vaccination certificates. This global health requirement by the World Health Organisation highlights the seriousness of yellow fever and the need for widespread immunisation.

Despite these warnings, investigations show that some travellers are bypassing vaccination by buying fake yellow fever cards. These blank cards are filled in and rubber-stamped, allowing unvaccinated individuals to travel.

This fraud is often driven by fear of injections, ignorance of the disease’s severity, or the high cost of the vaccine, which varies by health facility. At designated centres, the yellow fever jab costs about Sh4,000, while bigger private hospitals charge more.

“Just like the cost of taking a soda at a kiosk is different from taking a soda at a five-star hotel, here we charge more for all vaccines for preventable diseases,” said a nurse at Nairobi Hospital.

The problem is widespread in areas like Mombasa, where many Muslims prepare for Hajj. Pilgrims on short notice often buy the fake cards, backdating them to meet the 10-day immunity requirement before travel.

At City Hall’s inoculation department, reports indicate that certificates are sometimes issued or sold without any vaccination being done.

But with the introduction of new technology, health authorities are now able to detect fake cards, and those caught face deportation or prosecution.

Yellow fever affects 35 countries in Africa, and WHO estimates that it infects 400 million people globally each year. Without proper prevention and treatment, it can cause organ failure and death.

“It does not require a doctor’s consent to get vaccinated, you simply walk into a designated vaccination centre and ask for the jab,” said epidemiologist Moses Mwangi.

Professor Charles Chunge, Director of the Centre for Travel and Communicable Diseases, explained that yellow fever symptoms can appear four days after infection and range from body ache, back pain, vomiting, fever, chills, and jaundice, to internal bleeding and organ failure.

“Fifteen per cent of symptomatic patients will develop severe disease. Most will recover, but bouts of yellow fever recovery may take weeks or months,” said Professor Chunge.

The disease is spread by bites from Aedes mosquitoes. Experts advise using insect repellent every four hours, clearing bushes, draining stagnant water, and wearing thick clothing.

People with conditions like HIV, TB, or diabetes, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, are advised to seek medical advice before immunisation.

Treatment costs around Sh10,000 for a 500ml bottle of oral medicine, which is unaffordable for many Kenyans living below the poverty line.

Doctors warn that yellow fever has no specific antibiotics, as it is a viral disease. Antibiotics only work for bacterial infections.