Donors step up Kenya’s vaccination drive funds

Kenya is expected to submit in May each year the number of children to be vaccinated. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Vaccine funding to Kenya rose by Sh2.5 billion last year to protect millions of children from non-communicable viruses.

Latest Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (Gavi) data shows that vaccine funding from increased from Sh2.4 billion in 2018 to Sh4.9 billion last year, representing a 104 percent jump.

Donors boosted their support for vaccines against pneumonia, polio, pentavalent (that prevents diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, Hepatitis B and rotavirus) and Haemophilus Influenza type B.

Pneumonia vaccine funding rose from Sh336.19 million to Sh1.18 billion last year, the data shows.

Currently, Gavi helps Kenya procure vaccines through a co-financing model, where the country pays for 10 percent of the entire budget while Gavi funds the remaining 90 percent annually.

Polio funding doubled from Sh124.68 million in 2018 to Sh332.08 million last year.

The allocation for injection safety devices and vaccine grants rose by Sh40.9 million and Sh184.8 million respectively.

To prepare for the annual procurement of vaccines, Kenya is expected to submit in May each year the number of children to be vaccinated, the stock levels including buffer stock, wastage rates, any proposed changes in the presentation or minimum co-financing levels and vaccines received. However, yellow fever vaccine funding dropped by Sh19.7 million last year from Sh23.2 million in 2018.

PAYE Tax Calculator

Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.