Kenya faces looming vaccine crisis as stocks dwindle amid funding shortfall

Kenya is facing a critical vaccine shortage, with stock levels expected to run out by June 2025, putting millions of children at risk of preventable diseases.

The country requires Ksh.1.5 billion to Ksh.1.6 billion to replenish its vaccine supplies. The situation has prompted Kenya Women Parliamentarians (KEWOPA) to push for the government to prioritize immunization programs in the national budget. 

This shortage comes at a time when the country is grappling with the impending withdrawal of GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, which has been a key donor for vaccines like HPV and yellow fever.

GAVI is slated to phase out its support by 2029, but there are concerns it may withdraw sooner, creating further urgency for Kenya to find alternative funding sources.

“For the government of Kenya, they are financing largely the traditional vaccines… We are talking about BCG, Measles and Rubella, tetanus and oral polio vaccines and other emergency strategic vaccines,” said Wesley Rono from the Health NGOs Network (HENNET).

On her part, HENNET Executive Director Dr Margaret Lubaale said; “ There is a looming crisis and by June 30th. We need to have paid the financing that’s necessary. The figures are to the tune of Ksh.1.5 to Ksh.1.6 billion. If we don’t pay by June, it means we will have a stock out of polio and measles vaccines.

The health sector in Kenya is under immense pressure as the government contends with competing health priorities, such as TB, HIV, and immunization. GAVI’s withdrawal could jeopardize the availability of crucial vaccines like polio and rotavirus unless new funding avenues are secured.

Despite allocating Ksh.4 billion annually for vaccines, the government needs to ring-fence these funds to prevent diversion to other sectors. With the cost of fully immunizing a child standing at Ksh.12,086, it is imperative that the government increases its budget allocation to ensure that vaccines remain accessible to all. 

The transition to fully financing immunization programs by 2029 presents a significant challenge, particularly as donor support decreases and a populace that is increasingly objecting to the government’s revenue instruments, as witnessed with the rejection of the 2024 finance bill, which by its own admission, left the government scrambling to make ends meets and finance crucial services. 

“We want to ensure that as Kenyans we are not at the mercy of lenders. GAVI vaccine alliance has supported Kenyans immunisation programme for a long time. Accelerated transition has been reached. By 2029,we are expected to fund immunisation 100%,” said Irene Mayaka, a member of the Kenya Women Parliamentarians.

In the wake of the rejection of the finance bill, the country has repeatedly been faced with crucial vaccine stock outs of BCG, Measles and tetanus vaccines, raising concern among stakeholders that the frequent stock outs risk reversing the gains Kenya has made in vaccines and immunizations. 

KEWOPA has called for urgent action from the government to secure sustainable funding for immunization programs.