Ministry of Health dispels claims, says polio vaccine is safe

The Ministry of Health has dispelled reports that two children developed skin lesions after being administered the polio vaccine.

In a statement to newsrooms, the Director of Medical Services Dr. Jackson Kioko said the two children from Nairobi and Kiambu Counties, were diagnosed with foot and mouth viral infection caused by coxsackie virus, and not from effects of the polio virus.

Kioko now says that the polio campaign exercise coincided with the season when the country experiences an upsurge of viral infections, including flu and coxsackie among others viruses.

He has also encouraged parents to present any sick child to the nearest Health facility for investigation and treatment.

In July, mothers whose children were given the new upgraded polio vaccine took to social media, pouring their worries with some saying the reactions they were seeing on their children were too serious.

The Director of Medical Services, Dr Jackson Kioko however responded saying that the bivalent vaccine has more side effects compared to the vaccine previously used.

Dr Kioko further urged mothers not to panic, saying if the symptoms persisted for more than ten days, only then should they seek medical advice.

According to the World Health Organization, there was a global switch from the trivalent vaccine to bivalent vaccine.