Kenya is preparing to launch its first mpox vaccination drive in December 2024 to tackle the spread of a new strain of the virus affecting multiple African countries.
The Kenyan Ministry of Health has confirmed that vaccinations will target high-risk populations when the country receives sufficient doses from the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
This move will make Kenya the fourth African nation to launch a vaccination campaign against mpox, joining the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Nigeria.
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Dr. Sultani Matendechero, Deputy Director General at Kenya’s Ministry of Health, stated, "We are expecting to receive the vaccines by the end of the year. We are working to submit requests to the Africa CDC to deploy them to those at risk."
The Africa CDC has only 5.6 million doses available, underscoring the need for careful distribution due to a recent spike in mpox cases across the continent. While Kenya is working closely with the Africa CDC, it is also considering independent avenues to secure additional vaccines to bolster the program's impact.
Along with the vaccination effort, Kenya has intensified border surveillance, screening approximately 1.5 million travelers at various entry points to curb the virus’s spread.
According to Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health, particular attention is being given to high-risk counties, including Taita Taveta, Busia, and Mombasa, where monitoring teams are actively engaged.
Despite recent efforts, Kenya remains vigilant following its first mpox-related death, with 13 confirmed cases across several counties since October.
No new cases have emerged since mid-October, which authorities attribute to heightened monitoring and preventive measures. As Dr. Matendechero emphasized, securing the necessary vaccines and deploying them to vulnerable groups remains a priority as Kenya strives to protect its population and curb the virus's spread.
