The Garissa county government in partnership with the Ministry of health, the World Health Organization and other partners has kicked off a 10-day mass vaccination exercise against the yellow fever in the three sub-counties of Garissa Township, Lagdera and Balambala.
Addressing the press in his office Monday, County Health CEC Roble Nunow said that the exercise was necessitated by an outbreak of yellow fever in Garissa and Isiolo counties. One and two cases have been reported in Garissa and Isiolo counties respectively.
“A single case of yellow fever is considered an outbreak by WHO. That is why the national government and the two county governments, WHO and UNICEF have decided to vaccinate people in these areas to stop further spread,” Nunow said.
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes mainly the Aedes species.
Symptoms include fever, headache, jaundice, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting and fatigue. A small proportion of patients who contract the virus develop severe symptoms and approximately half die within seven to ten days.
Nunow said that the vaccination is targeting 263,000 residents aged between 9 months and 60 years in the three sub-counties that borders Isiolo County.
The CEC said that the military personnel based at the Modigar camp in Garissa County will also receive the jab.
“We have trained the military health personnel on how to administer the jab. The uptake is encouraging and by yesterday (July 25) three days after the exercise was launched on Saturday we had vaccinated 44,340 people,” he said.
The CEC appealed to all residents in the area and those who come to Garissa for work from neighbouring Tana River County to avail themselves for the vaccination while assuring them that the vaccine is safe for all.
“We appeal to the residents of the targeted sub counties to avail themselves to our health workers who are doing door to door campaign,” he said.
“This is a-one jab vaccine in your lifetime. It is safe even for those who have underlying health issues, so that we can prevent ourselves from yellow fever,” he added.
By Jacob Songok
