Kenya is set to benefit significantly from a global funding boost of US$450 million (approximately Sh 58.5 billion) aimed at accelerating efforts to eradicate polio worldwide. This renewed financial commitment comes from a partnership between key global health organizations dedicated to strengthening immunization campaigns amid increasing challenges to eliminating the disease.
Despite remarkable progress over the years, polio eradication faces multiple hurdles including geopolitical instability, funding shortfalls, and outbreaks even in regions previously declared polio-free. One of Kenya’s major challenges has been the financing and supply of vaccines, which has occasionally led to stock-outs, placing newborns at risk of severe disability or death.
The fresh funding injection will help reverse these risks by supporting a comprehensive range of activities. These include vaccine delivery, enhanced disease surveillance, community engagement, and emergency response capabilities in areas experiencing outbreaks. A critical focus remains on the last countries reporting wild poliovirus cases, namely Afghanistan and Pakistan, while resources will also address new threats emerging in other parts of the world.
Under the agreement, the global health partners will leverage a fundraising model where every dollar raised by Rotary International will be matched with two dollars from the Gates Foundation, together providing up to US$450 million over three years. This initiative reflects a strategic effort to maintain momentum and secure necessary resources to reach the final goal of global polio eradication.
Polio, a disease known for causing paralysis and sometimes death, is on the brink of becoming only the second human disease ever eradicated, following smallpox. The eradication campaign has dramatically reduced global cases by more than 99.9 percent since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988.
In Kenya, the government alongside partners like GAVI and UNICEF has focused on improving vaccine supply chains and logistics, especially targeting underserved populations. Despite these efforts, approximately half of Kenya’s zero-dose children those who have not received any vaccines are concentrated in 14 counties, including major urban areas like Nairobi and Mombasa. Informal settlements in these cities account for a significant proportion of unvaccinated children, highlighting the urgent need for targeted outreach and vaccination programs.
The country aims to reduce the number of zero-dose children by 25 percent by 2025 and by half by 2030 through mobile vaccination campaigns and enhanced community health strategies to increase awareness and access.
Health experts continue to emphasize that only vaccination can protect children from the lifelong disabilities caused by polio. This renewed global commitment will enable Kenya to sustain and scale up immunization efforts, ultimately safeguarding its children and moving closer to a polio-free future.
