The Ministry of Health has confirmed two fatalities following its investigation into the adverse events reported after the October 2024 polio vaccination campaign.
In a report dated November 8, 2024, and signed by the Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, the Health Ministry said the campaign, which ran from October 2 to 6, 2024, targeted nine high-risk counties: Nairobi, Busia, Bungoma, Turkana, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Kiambu, Machakos, and Kajiado.
According to the Ministry, a total of 23 reports were received from parents and caregivers expressing concern over post-vaccination symptoms.
These concerns were submitted through various health facilities and via a mobile reporting platform, *271#, which feeds into the Mobile Pharmacovigilance Electronic Reporting System (mPvERS).
2 fatalities
The Ministry immediately called upon the Kenya National Vaccines Safety Advisory Committee (KNVSAC) to review the reported cases.
After meeting on October 23 and 24, 2024, the committee classified the majority of the reports as non-serious.
16 of the 23 cases involved symptoms such as mild rashes, fever, conjunctivitis, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea, which the committee deemed typical of mild vaccine reactions.
However, seven cases were classified as serious, with symptoms ranging from convulsions, severe fever, weakness in the lower limbs, to herpes zoster (shingles).
The Ministry says five of these serious cases have since been resolved, but two tragically resulted in fatalities.
“Seven (7) of the reported cases were serious presenting with generalized red and sometimes itchy bumps in the skin and fever, weakness of the lower limbs, convulsions, diarrhoea and vomiting and herpes zoster. An analysis of the serious and non-serious events showed that 16 of the reported cases had resolved while five (5) are in the process of resolving. Two (2) of the reported cases unfortunately resulted in death,” the Ministry of Health said.
Following further investigation, health authorities determined that 18 of the reported cases were coincidental, linked to underlying health conditions or other factors unrelated to the vaccine.
These included pre-existing health issues and environmental exposures to infections.
Four cases were deemed to be direct reactions to the vaccine, primarily consisting of rashes and fever.
Ministry of Health gives assurance
One case could not be definitively linked to the vaccine, as there was insufficient information to determine causality.
Despite the challenges, the Ministry reassured the public that the vaccine remains safe for children.
“The Ministry of Health and the global community have a vision to eradicate Polio, and we can only do it through achieving high vaccination coverage against this debilitating disease.
“We continue to urge all parents and caregivers to bring their children for routine immunization as per the immunization schedule and to avail their children during vaccination campaigns so that we can eradicate this debilitating disease.
“We reiterate that there is no harm of a child getting a repeat dose of the Polio vaccine during the national vaccination campaigns,” the statement by the Health Ministry said.
The Ministry emphasized that the public should continue to report any vaccine-related concerns and assured citizens that efforts to monitor vaccine safety remain a top priority.
“The Ministry of Health appeals to the public to cooperate with vaccination teams, report any adverse events to the nearest health facility, or by dialling *271#, 719 or calling 0729 471 414/0732 353 535. Together, we can eradicate polio from Kenya.”
