Lodwar- August 8, 2025 (Public Communications and Media Relations)
The County Government has expanded reach to unvaccinated children in remote areas of Kang’irisae and Nakoret through 16 outreaches.
These outreaches purposed to upscale routine immunisation services, increasing coverage across rural and distance in Turkana Central.
Carried out under the Chanjo Mashinani program supported by PATH in collaboration with the county government, these outreaches were conducted in three phases between June and July 2025. This will be extended to the hard-to-reach areas of Kopoe and Mugur.
Speaking at the meeting, Director for Policy Planning, Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation James Lobokan commended the support terming it as a critical pathway in ensuring access and increased uptake of vaccines to remote and mobile population of Turkana.
“By prioritising increased outreaches, inaccessible populations get a chance to benefit from free immunisation services at their doorsteps,” he said.
He emphasized the urge to conduct accurate data reporting, explaining it will enhance the implementation of vaccination activities and mobilisation of resources.
County EPI coordinator Daniel Erus stressed the need to capacity build the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to act as community champions in conducting active case findings on zero doses towards improving health seeking habits.
Turkana Centeal Medical Officer for Health, Dr Mercy Kawira, encouraged partners to support health facilities in identifying health gaps, initiating the creation of local solutions for sustainability of medical facilities.
PATH Shamim Omar mentioned that over 30 CHPs drawn from Kang’irisae were trained on immunisation services, enhanced community awareness on health seeking behaviour. He also stated that the CHPs managed to identify and refer children for prevalent vaccine administration.
Present were Deputy Public Health Nurse -Jane Atabo, Health Promotion Officer in Turkana Central – Fridah Ewoi, Sub-county Depot Nurse Turkana Central, Sub-county Health Records and Information Officer – Magdalene Ikoel as well as Edith Jepleting from PATH.
