Ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Susan Nakhumicha flagged off medical equipment worth Ksh1 billion set to benefit all the 47 counties.
In a statement after the flagging off event on March 5, 2024, at Afya House in Nairobi, Nakhumicha revealed that the medical units aim at supporting immunization delivery in the country.
“The equipment is part of the Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Program from Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance that aims to support immunization delivery in the country,” said Nakhumicha.
She was flanked by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Kenya representative Shaheen Nilofer and Health Director General Dr Patrick Amoth.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the cold chain is a set of rules and procedures that ensure the proper storage and distribution of vaccines to health services from the national to the local level.
The cold chain is interconnected with refrigeration equipment that allows vaccines to be stored at recommended temperatures to maintain their potency.
Medical Equipment
The Ministry of Health (MOH) on its part stated that a functional cold chain system is a vital component of the immunization supply chain process.
Also Read:Â First Lady Rachel Ruto Flags Off Mobile Clinics, Medical Equipment to 7 Counties
This is because it ensures that vaccines are kept at the right temperature during transportation and storage.
“High-quality cold chain system ensures that the vaccines that reach our communities and children are effective upon administration and our children will continue to be protected from vaccine preventable diseases,” MOH notes.
The initiative flagged off by Nakhumicha is part of the Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Program (CCEOP) grant from Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance.
Gavi and the Vaccine Alliance commissioned a prospective independent, multi-year evaluation of its CCEOP investment to a coalition in 2016.
The coalition was led by medical research institutes from different countries which included JaRco Consulting from Kenya.
Also Read:Â Patient Speaks After KNH Doctors Perform First Ever Special Kidney Surgery
On the other hand, the evaluation aimed to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, outcomes and sustainability of its CCEOP investment between 2018 and 2021.
It was conducted at the global level in three countries including Kenya, Guinea, and Pakistan.
According to MoH, a national inventory in 2016 revealed gaps in cold chain equipment availability in the country.
This prompted to collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Gavi to provide 1,483 units of cold chain equipment to all counties since 2017.
The March 5 flagging off event saw an addition of 2,000 units, valued at Ksh1 billion, further enhancing the Ministry’s immunization delivery.
