Kenya is poised to roll out mpox vaccinations in December 2024 as part of its efforts to curb the outbreak of a new strain of the virus that has impacted several other countries in Africa.
The Ministry of Health has announced that immunizations for high-risk groups will begin once the nation secures a sufficient supply of the vaccine from the Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC).
With this initiative, Kenya will join the ranks of the fourth African nation to provide mpox vaccinations, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Nigeria.
The Ministry of Health has announced plans to secure the required vaccine doses and begin immunizing high-risk populations by December 2024 as part of efforts to mitigate the virus’s spread. Dr. Sultani Matendechero, the Deputy Director General, remarked, “We anticipate receiving the vaccines by year-end and are preparing to send requests to the Africa CDC to ensure they reach those most at risk.”
Currently, the Africa CDC possesses only 5.6 million doses of the mpox vaccine and has underscored the importance of the vaccination initiative in response to a recent increase in mpox cases throughout Africa. Additionally, Kenya is exploring independent avenues to acquire more vaccine supplies.
An Africa CDC representative stated, “We are rallying member states to achieve the goal of vaccinating all vulnerable populations across Africa.” In light of this, Dr. Matendechero noted that the Ministry of Health is investigating alternative vaccine procurement methods outside the regional framework to widen access.
Beyond vaccination efforts, the Ministry has intensified border surveillance, screening approximately 1.5 million travelers at various entry points.
Mary Muthoni, the Principal Secretary for Public Health, cautioned, “We are still facing challenges. Vigilance is crucial, particularly in high-risk counties such as Taita Taveta, Busia, and Mombasa, where we have deployed teams to ensure effective monitoring.”
Since mid-October, Kenya has not reported any new mpox cases following the first mpox-related death in the country, with a total of 13 confirmed cases across multiple counties.
