The Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation in collaboration with development partners and other individuals is carrying out an emergency polio mop up campaign in 32 districts which were considered at high risk. This include all districts of Migori, Homa bay, Nyamira, Kisii and Kisumu counties in Nyanza Province and Transmara district in Rift Valley Province. The exercise will begin with prior National and District Launches on 23rd September 2011. The actual vaccination begins on 24th to 28th September 2011.

The vaccine will be given to ALL children below 5 years with an approximate population of 1,014,822. The vaccine will be given regardless of whether the child had received the vaccine before. The vaccines are safe, effective and similar to those being used for vaccination in Kenya and the rest of the world. Ministry of public health and sanitation wish to appeal to all parents and guardians with children in the 32 selected Districts to ensure their children are immunized during this campaign.

The Government will do whatever it takes to ensure that 2011 really is the year of highest quality campaigns, reaching out to each and every child, every time. This is the reason why health workers will move from house to house vaccinating all the target children in the 32 districts within these 5 days of the campaign. Also the vaccines will be available in all health facilities. The key is to eradicate polio through vaccination so that no child need ever know the pain of polio paralysis.

The Ministry also wish to reaffirm the Government of Kenya's commitment to the Global strategy for Polio Eradication and child survival by ensuring that all children in Kenya are vaccinated against all vaccine preventable diseases. all parents and caregivers in other parts of the country are requested to take their children aged less than one year to the nearest health facility and immunize them against vaccine preventable diseases. Vaccines are available in all government health facilities free of Charge.

Let us all support efforts to kick Polio out of Kenya.

Together let's kick polio out of Kenya