Naomi had just given birth to her first child, Maxwel, at a leading Nairobi hospital. As she cradled him for the first time, the joy of motherhood was quickly eclipsed by fear and frustration her baby would not receive any vaccines at birth.
The hospital’s neonatal nurse explained that they had no childhood vaccines available not even Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or the oral polio vaccine. For two weeks, all babies born at the facility had left without being vaccinated. Mothers were now being told to return periodically in the hope of securing one of the few expected doses.
Determined not to risk her newborn’s health, Naomi began a frantic journey across the city in search of the life-saving immunisations. From one hospital to another, the story was the same: essential vaccines were out of stock. Even top private facilities, which usually cater to insured and paying patients, had nothing to offer.
At one public hospital, she encountered another mother who had been waiting more than a month for vaccines. Like Naomi, she had left her contact details in the hope of being alerted when stocks were replenished, but no call had come.
Despite mounting exhaustion, Naomi pressed on. At each stop, she was met with sympathetic faces but no solutions. She called friends and medical contacts from across the country, only to learn that the problem extended far beyond Nairobi. In some regions, vaccine shortages had started months earlier.
The gravity of the crisis was stark. Mothers were being forced into an impossible position either wait indefinitely or risk their children’s health by delaying immunisations critical to survival in the early days of life.
Even facilities that had previously been reliable told Naomi to return the next day. They had small, rationed consignments of vaccines that ran out quickly and could only serve a few infants each day.
The country is now grappling with a severe shortage of vital childhood vaccines, including BCG, polio, and measles. The crisis has persisted for four months, leaving thousands of newborns unprotected against preventable diseases. Hospitals, both public and private, have resorted to prioritising children born in their own wards, leaving countless others in limbo.
Health officials have confirmed the nationwide shortfall, blaming delayed funding. However, recent developments show that financial bottlenecks are now being addressed. A significant payment has been made to international suppliers, and further funds have been allocated to ensure replenishment.
Still, the timeline remains a concern. It will take up to eight weeks for the first consignment of vaccines to arrive in the country. Officials have assured the public that a large shipment, including millions of BCG doses, is expected by mid-June. A catch-up vaccination campaign is also being planned to ensure that all children who missed their shots are immunised by the end of July.
For now, the crisis underscores a fragile system where delays in procurement can have life-or-death consequences. Mothers like Naomi are left chasing the wind grappling with anxiety, exhaustion, and helplessness as they fight to protect their children from diseases that should have been preventable from the very first day of life.
