Machakos launches targeted Mpox vaccination drive

ANNE KANGERO - KNA

 National and Macha kos County health offi cials have rolled-out a targeted Mpox vaccination campaign in Machakos County, focusing on about 1,200 people in high-risk groups along the busy Ma laba-Mombasa transport corridor.

The exercise, launched during a sensitization forum in Athi River Sub county, will prioritize sex workers, long-distance truck drivers, men who have sex with men, front line health workers, and hotel staff.

Athi River Sub-county Medical Superintendent, Dr. Shadrack Kyengo, disclosed that the campaign is a response to active Mpox cases in the County, including a patient currently ad mitted at Kangundo Level 4 Hospital.

Others have been treated and discharged. “Mpox has been a prob lem in our neighboring countries and we now have cases here.

We decided to focus on people who travel a lot, like truck drivers, and special units that interact with them a lot, such as commercial sex workers, both male and female, said Kyengo 

Health officials identified Athi River, Mlolongo, and Kyumbi as hotspots due to heavy truck traffic and a high concentration of com mercial sex workers.

“People living in those ar eas are at greater risk and If one person contracts the disease, it can spread quickly through the popu lation,” said Dr Kyengo.

The Machakos drive is similar to vaccination cam paigns already completed in Mombasa and Busia, where most truck drivers and sex workers have re ceived shots.

Dr. Kyengo noted that the initial Phase will cover 1,200 people in Machakos, but the long-term goal is to vaccinate all Kenyans and the exercise will continue “until the disease is sup pressed not only in Macha kos but across the country.”

Unlike routine hospi tal-based immunization, this campaign will take vaccines directly to com munities. Stakeholders from the targeted groups have also been trained on Mpox symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention.