As Ksh.4.9 billion has been allocated, there will no longer be a shortage of vaccines, the Ministry of Health promises.

 

 Dr.  Patrick Amoth, the Acting Director General of Health, during a past press briefing on January 15, 2025.  MOH | PHOTO | COURTESY The Ministry of Health (MoH) has announced that there will be no more shortages of vaccine as witnessed in recent weeks, where hospitals and healthcare facilities decried shortage. 

 The ministry says Treasury allocated Kshs 4.9 billion in the 2025/26 Financial Year which will also cater for vaccines.

 Health Director-General Dr.  Patrick Amoth said that Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale is in talks with the Treasury to ensure that the money for the vaccines is ring-fenced.

 The ministry has also assured of availability of Mpox vaccines. 

 "The country has Mpox vaccines that will be used. This vaccine provides upto 5 years and it will be given to 9 months to 14 years,” stated Amoth.

 Over 3,000 cases of measles were recorded by the ministry, as well as a significant number of deaths that could have been avoided had the vaccine shortage not been a concern. However, with the funding set to be deployed by the exchequer, the ministry is now targeting over 15 million children in a 10-day vaccination program to address the rising cases of deaths and overall health complications that arose from children contracting measles. 

 The funding and the initiatives come after Kenya received 6.2 million doses of Polio and BCG vaccines after a months-long shortage that health experts and professionals cited risks being posed to thousands of unvaccinated children.

 “We have fulfilled our commitment to pay GAVI, we have paid more”, said Amoth.

 The remittance follows an announcement  in late June 2025, that the USA will cut funding to the alliance.

 US Health Secretary Robert.  F.  Kennedy Jr. called on the alliance to re-earn the public trust of Americans by justifying the 24-year funding they received from USA since 2001, amounting to USD 8 billion and only then will the US consider adding more resources on top of what they had been contributing.

 "Until that happens, the United States won't contribute more," he said.