Variation in rotavirus vaccine coverage by sub-counties in Kenya

Abstract

Rotavirus gastroenteritis is an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in Kenya. In July 2014, Kenya introduced the rotavirus vaccine into her national immunization program. Although immunization coverage is crucial in assessing the real-world impact of this vaccine, variability in the vaccine coverage across the country is likely to occur. In view of this, we estimated the extent of coverage for the rotavirus vaccine at two socio-economically different sub-counties using the administrative data. The findings indicate disparities in vaccine coverage and access between the sub-counties and, thus, underscore the need to strengthen immunization systems to facilitate timely, accessible, and equitable vaccine delivery across the country. Both sub-counties recorded high vaccine dropout, suggestive of poor utilization of the vaccine. In this regard, increased social mobilization is needed to encourage vaccine compliance and to enhance tracking of vaccine defaulters. While efforts to improve the accuracy of the administrative coverage estimates are crucial, vaccination coverage surveys will be needed to verify the administrative coverage data and help identify specific factors relating to rotavirus vaccine coverage in the country.

Keywords: Administrative data; Coverage; Dropout; Kenya; Rotavirus vaccine.

Fig. 1

Trends in monthly rotavirus vaccination coverage in Kiambu and Mbita sub-counties, 2014–2016. The graph compares the trends in monthly rotavirus immunization coverage rates between Kiambu and Mbita sub-counties as estimated from the vaccine administrative data for doses 1 and 2 between August 2014 and April 2016. The vaccine administrative data was used with permission from the Kiambu and Mbita sub-counties’ Units of Vaccines and Immunization Services (UVIS)