More children receive measles, typhoid vaccines as drive ends

A medic from Mater Hospital administers the typhoid vaccine to a child during the wellness clinic in Buruburu, Nairobi, on July 13, 2025. The campaign for mass vaccination for typhoid and measles ends on July 14, 2025. [Benard Orwongo, Standard]

A large number of children have turned out for measles and typhoid vaccines as the Ministry of Health concludes its nationwide mass vaccination campaign.

At least 12.1 million children have received the typhoid conjugate vaccine, while 3.5 million have received the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine, according to a report signed by Health Cabinet Secretary Adan Duale.

The campaign, which began on July 5, officially ends this week. The ministry had targeted 19.2 million children for typhoid and 6.5 million for MR vaccines.

Notably, some 4,000 zero-dose children—those never previously vaccinated, received both vaccines. Children aged 9 to 59 months were eligible for MR, while those aged 9 months to 14 years were targeted for the typhoid vaccine.

The ministry noted that reaching zero-dose children has helped boost herd immunity, despite hesitancy from some parents, often due to misinformation or lack of awareness.

Duale thanked parents, health workers, religious leaders, and community mobilisers for their role in the campaign.

“With three days left in the main campaign and 2 mop-up days, the ministry urges all caregivers to act now. Vaccination is safe, effective, and life-saving. Both measles and typhoid vaccines are WHO approved, having passed rigorous international and local safety reviews,” he said.

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The vaccines are provided free of charge at public health facilities, schools, churches, markets, mosques, and via house-to-house outreach.

Kenya’s vaccine coverage currently stands at 80 percent, though measles coverage is lower, at just 60 percent.

Counties like Isiolo continue to lag behind.

Fourteen counties, including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kakamega, and Homa Bay, account for half of the country’s zero-dose children, according to national health data.

Typhoid fever remains a significant public health concern, particularly among children under 15, with Kenya recording about 126,000 cases and 1,500 deaths annually.

Typhoid vaccination will now be included in the routine childhood immunisation schedule under the Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunisation (KEPI).

Paediatrician and researcher Prof. Ruth Nduati highlighted that measles can cause pneumonia, blindness, and brain damage, stressing the importance of vaccination to protect children.