At Pumwani Maternity Hospital, nurse Juliet Otieno explained that Kenya’s routine polio programme starts at birth, continues with doses in infancy and includes an injectable dose at nine months, urging mothers to ensure every recommended shot is given.

Otieno warned that parents who have never witnessed polio’s paralysis may underestimate the need for vaccination and cautioned against misinformation circulating on social media that could discourage families from seeking immunisation.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that spreads mainly through the faecal‑oral route and can cause irreversible paralysis or death when it attacks the nervous system, according to the World Health Organization.

Although Africa was certified free of indigenous wild poliovirus in 2020, the virus remains endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and circulating vaccine‑derived strains can still trigger outbreaks where immunisation gaps exist.

Rotary district chair Patrick Mushemi noted that the global eradication effort began in 1985 when roughly 350,000 children contracted polio each year, and that Rotary has since spent more than US$2.6 billion to support vaccination programmes in over 120 countries.

Mushemi added that reductions in donor support could slow vaccine distribution, though Rotary continues to mobilise resources from its members and partners to sustain the campaign.

Rotary District Governor Saad Rahman warned that the disease’s invisibility can mislead parents into thinking the threat has vanished, urging families to complete the full series to maintain herd immunity.

Kenya’s current immunisation coverage stands at about 77 percent, below the WHO target of at least 80 percent, prompting calls for government, health workers and development partners to intensify outreach.

Public health facilities, including Pumwani Maternity Hospital, provide childhood immunisations free of charge, and health workers encourage mothers to seek advice if any post‑vaccination symptoms arise.

The most recent detection of circulating vaccine‑derived poliovirus type 2 in Kenya occurred on 31 July 2024, underscoring the need for continued vigilance and full vaccine uptake.