New vaccine campaign to eradicate polio kicks off

By Odhiambo David |odhisdavid59@gmail.com

 The fight against polio has received a boost as Kenya launches a campaign to address the evolving risk posed by the existing vaccine.

The campaign, known as nOPV2 (novel oral polio vaccine 2), seeks to protect the nation’s children and ensure the country remains on track towards eradicating polio.

Dr. Rose Jalango, speaking on behalf of the initiative, said there is need for awareness and routine immunisation to fight the disease.

“We urge all stakeholders to consistently raise awareness to ensure that the adoption of routine immunisation remains at its highest,” she noted.

The campaign’s first phase aimed to vaccinate 1.8 million children, but it exceeded expectations by reaching 1.9 million. However, Dr. Emmanuel Okungu, Head of the Disease Surveillance and Response Unit at the Ministry of Health, urged for the need to continue pushing ahead.

“There are still more children we have missed, and we must reach them in this nOPV2 campaign,” he said.

Dr. John Burton, from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), pledged support to Kenya’s mission, saying, “When I think about polio, I think about climate change. The best way is to maintain high surveillance at the border points to prevent its transmission to other places. We will continue to support the ministry to achieve their target to eradicate polio.”

The journey towards polio eradication has been there for three decades, with only a small percentage remaining to achieve this goal. Dr. Rotich, representing UNICEF and WHO, announced their commitment to the campaign, stating, “We have committed $3M for the second and third rounds to reach every child. WHO and UNICEF Kenya are also deploying 90 personnel to support the success of the polio campaign.”

Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary of the State Department of Public Health and Professional Standards, also noted the collective effort required to succeed in the battle against polio.

“Polio is a threat to everyone. This is a collective responsibility; the government cannot win alone. We thank all our partners for the support provided to eradicate polio in the country,” she said.

With the launch of the nOPV2 campaign and the commitment of health stakeholders, Kenya is taking determined steps towards ensuring that every child receives protection from polio, bringing the nation closer to a polio-free future. The campaign is a testament to the nation’s determination to safeguard the health of its children and eliminate the threat of polio once and for all.

Novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) is a modified version of the type 2 monovalent OPV (mOPV2), which clinical trials have shown provides comparable protection against poliovirus while being more genetically stable and less likely to be associated with the emergence of cVDPV2 in low immunity settings. This means that nOPV2 has the potential to be a significant tool to help stop outbreaks more sustainably.

Vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) is a well-documented strain of poliovirus mutated from the strain originally contained in oral polio vaccine (OPV). OPV contains a live, weakened form of poliovirus that replicates in the intestine for a limited period, thereby developing immunity by building up antibodies.