As the world commemorates World Immunization Week (April 24–30), a public health crisis is unfolding in Kenya. Vaccine stock-outs are threatening the health of thousands of children—particularly in marginalized regions like Turkana County, where health officials warn that supplies may not last through the current quarter.
According to Daniel Ekiru Erus, the focal person for the Vaccine and Immunization Program in Turkana County, the region is currently operating on buffer stock, with no new vaccines received for the April–June 2025 quarter.
“We have not received vaccines for the April–June quarter, and we are riding on buffer stocks which will not be enough to take us up to June,” said Erus in an interview.
Erus attributes the shortage to a combination of logistical challenges and donor funding gaps, while health advocates point to delays in the Kenyan government’s co-financing obligations to GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. The situation is placing an already vulnerable population at even greater risk.
Turkana, one of Kenya’s largest and most remote counties, receives its vaccines quarterly from the KEMSA regional store in Eldoret, storing them centrally in Lodwar before distributing to sub-counties—some located hundreds of kilometers away.
“We have been receiving our supplies in good quantities, but since late last year, BCG, Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), and Yellow Fever vaccines have been in short supply,” Erus said. “These are now out of stock in most of our sub-county facilities.”
The county targets 40,000 children for immunization annually, yet coverage is already declining. Between January and March 2024, only 3,900 children were vaccinated—short of the 4,500 target. This year, the numbers are expected to fall further, he said.
Funding Delays and the GAVI Gap
Kenya, now reclassified as a middle-income country, is transitioning from donor-supported health programs to domestically funded healthcare. However, the transition is proving difficult.
In early April, the Health NGO Network (HENNET) sounded the alarm over Kenya’s outstanding payment of $12.49 million to GAVI for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. This payment—due by June—is crucial to maintain vaccine procurement and supply chains.
“If we don’t have those vaccines coming at the right time and given at the right time, we can only expect the worst,” Erus warned. “The immunity of these babies is low, and they are vulnerable.”
Donor Withdrawals Amplify Crisis
The situation has been further exacerbated by the withdrawal of international donors, following the Trump administration’s USAID stop-work order.
Erus says that, Turkana had heavily relied on donor-funded programs such as USAID funded AMREF Imarisha Jamii program to support immunization outreach, transport logistics, and staff salaries.
“When USAID funded AMREF Imarisha Jamii, IRC, UNHCR, and Save the Children were active, we had no problem reaching hard-to-reach areas,” said Erus. “Now, with their support uncertain and most outreach programs halted, our distribution coverage has been severely affected.”
He explains that, in 2018–2019, Turkana recorded an immunization coverage rate above 87 percent, thanks to strong development partner support. However, post-COVID coverage plummeted to between 60–69 percent. The county now fears it could fall below 60 percent, far short of the national target of 80–85 percent.
The vast and rugged geography of Turkana complicates access. Sub-counties like Kibish and Kapedo lie 400 kilometers from Lodwar, while Lokichogio and Kainuk are around 200 kilometers away. Without reliable transport and outreach funding, many of these areas remain cut off from essential health services.
High Community Trust, But Rising Dropout Rates
He says that despite the challenges, community acceptance of vaccines remains high in Turkana.
“Even when mothers deliver at home, they still come for BCG and OPV vaccines,” Erus noted. “But the problem is dropout—many come for the first dose but don’t complete the vaccination schedule.”
A typical child is expected to receive ten antigens, many of which require multiple doses. However, follow-up systems are under strain, limiting the ability of health workers to ensure children complete the immunization schedule, he added.
He says that the county has been relaying on integrated outreach activities—such as food distribution and maternal care—the outreaches previously used to draw families to have vaccinations while collecting food but that have also been disrupted.
“We used to give HPV vaccines during food distribution exercises, but the food program has also been affected,” Erus said.
A Plea for Support
Currently, only a few partners, such as PATH and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), continue to support low-cost outreach programs, helping reduce the number of defaulters. However, without timely national government intervention and funding to meet co-financing obligations, these efforts may fall short.
“We have already shared the gaps with the county health directors,” Erus said. “But unless urgent measures are taken, we are staring at a real public health disaster.”
Turkana’s crisis is a stark reminder that healthcare system transitions require adequate planning, funding, and sustained support. Without these, the progress made in immunization over the past decade may begin to unravel—putting the lives of Kenya’s most vulnerable children in jeopardy.
