The arrival of Covid-19 vaccines in Kenya last year exposed a little known Kitengela health facility that is key in storing children vaccines in the country.
Situated just behind the Kitengela Sub-county hospital, the old fashioned structure that mostly remains shut under tight security was like a hidden treasure which residents had barely any information about the activity that goes on there.
It was until March 4, 2021, when President Uhuru Kenyatta toured the facility to officially launch the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines that residents and the country at large learnt the facility was crucial to 180,000 public health facilities in the country.
The amenity serves as a central storage depot for children immunization vaccines for measles, tuberculosis and polio.
The facility was constructed in 2013 by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and has the capacity of storing up to 130,000 litres of children vaccines which is later distributed to eight other regional storage depots.
According to the ministry of health, the facility which has a standby generator has advanced refrigeration equipment for storing vaccines at low temperatures of up to negative 14 degrees.
While speaking at the amenity, Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the storage facility is key in the country in storing children immunization vaccines owning to its modern sophisticated medical equipment.
The expertise and staff who work in the storage facility remain unknown and security has since been heightened in the area.
