Kenya is currently grappling with a prolonged shortage of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) and polio vaccines, a crisis that has persisted for months and left many parents distressed and scrambling for solutions. With these vital immunisations unavailable in several public health facilities across the country, desperate parents have taken to social media, seeking information and pleading for help.
Parents are sharing their struggles online, with some reporting that they have had to travel across counties in search of the vaccines. Online posts requesting locations of available BCG vaccines have gone viral, often triggering emotional responses from other parents. Some users have offered information about clinics in distant counties where the vaccines may still be in stock, while others have expressed frustration and anger over what they perceive as government inaction in the face of a public health crisis.
One parent questioned the country’s priorities, asking whether statehouse renovations should take precedence over the health and lives of children. This sentiment echoes a growing sense of disillusionment among citizens, many of whom feel that the healthcare needs of the population are being sidelined.
The shortage affects two crucial vaccines. The BCG vaccine, typically administered at birth, protects infants against severe forms of tuberculosis. The polio vaccine is essential in preventing poliomyelitis, a potentially crippling disease. The unavailability of these vaccines jeopardises the health of newborns and infants, raising fears of possible outbreaks and long-term public health consequences.
The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the crisis, attributing the delays to a lag in disbursement of funds from the National Treasury to vaccine suppliers. The government uses a dual financing model for vaccine procurement: part of the funds are sourced locally, while the remainder comes through a co-financing agreement with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. However, due to a delay in releasing funds by the Treasury, the government has fallen behind on its payment obligations.
A payment of Sh930 million has reportedly been committed by the Treasury, which would address part of Kenya’s co-financing responsibility for the 2024/2025 fiscal year. Nevertheless, a larger balance of approximately Sh1.6 billion remains outstanding. Gavi has issued a formal reminder of this obligation, stressing that the full amount must be settled by June 2025. The organisation also warned that failure to pay on time could lead to disruption of future vaccine deliveries due to a lead time of about three months between payment and shipment.
Compounding the issue is the broader challenge of diminishing donor funding for healthcare. Former officials had previously cautioned about the impact of reduced international support. One significant blow came from the withdrawal of funding by the US government, which affected critical health services, including those for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and immunisation programs. The funding gap created by such withdrawals has placed even more pressure on the national health system, already strained by growing demand and limited resources.
Despite the current difficulties, there is some hope. The government has indicated that the first batch of vaccines is expected to arrive between June 10 and 15. For many parents, however, the wait is agonising, and the uncertainty has left them fearful for the wellbeing of their children.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen whether the government can fulfil its financial obligations in time to restore a steady vaccine supply and prevent a larger health crisis.
