Dr Patrick Amoth, Director General (DG) of Health, speaking at The Star-APHRC Inaugural National Science Research Translation Congress held at the APHRC headquarters in Nairobi on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Photo/ APHRCKenya has announced a
significant shift in its polio immunization strategy, moving from the Oral
Polio Vaccine (OPV) to the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV), which is
administered by injection.
This strategic change,
confirmed by Dr. Patrick Amoth, Director General (DG) of Health, marks a
transition toward what the country views as “safer and more effective
immunization strategies.”
According to DG Amoth the
primary driver for the transition is the low but persistent risk associated
with the continued use of OPV.
‘Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is
a live attenuated vaccine produced by weakening the poliovirus. While highly
effective, the weakened virus can, in rare instances and particularly in areas
with low immunization coverage, mutate into vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV).
This VDPV strain can cause paralysis in unvaccinated populations,’ DG Amoth
told reporters in Nairobi.
DG Amoth was speaking at The
Star-APHRC Newspaper’s Inaugural National Science Research Translation Congress held at the APHRC headquarters in Nairobi.
Inactivated Polio Vaccine
(IPV), originally developed by Dr. Jonas Salk in 1955, contains inactivated
(killed) poliovirus strains of all three types. It is administered by injection
(intramuscularly or intradermally) and stimulates the production of antibodies
that prevent the virus from reaching the central nervous system, thus
protecting against paralysis. It carries no risk of VDPV.
Dr. Amoth noted that the
risk of paralytic polio associated with continued OPV use is now considered
greater than the risk of importing wild poliovirus, aligning Kenya’s strategy
with the global endgame strategy for polio eradication. The shift will also
address the challenges of OPV’s strict requirements for transport and storage,
which can be difficult to maintain in hot or remote regions.
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a
highly infectious virus that primarily affects children under five. Although
90–95percent of infections are asymptomatic, in rare cases, it can lead to
permanent paralysis or, in severe cases, death from the paralysis of respiratory
muscles. Since there is no cure for polio, vaccination remains the most
effective preventive measure.
However experts says that, although
IPV effectively prevents paralysis, it does not completely stop the
transmission of the virus. Therefore, OPV, with its ability to induce mucosal
immunity, will continue to be used temporarily for outbreak responses, even in
countries that rely on IPV for routine immunization.
Kenya’s shift from OPV to
IPV comes amidst growing concerns over the financial stability of global polio
eradication programs.
The Global Polio Eradication
Initiative (GPEI), led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners like
the Gates Foundation, has announced a 30percent budget cut in 2026.
This cut according to GPEI leaves
a $1.7 billion funding gap through 2029. The shortfall is largely attributed to
reductions in foreign aid, particularly from major donors such as the United
States (which has also started withdrawing from WHO programs), Germany, and the
United Kingdom.
Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO’s
Director for Polio Eradication, stated that operations in lower-risk areas will
need to be scaled back unless outbreaks occur.
Despite the fact that wild
poliovirus has been eradicated from most of the world, it remains endemic in
Pakistan and Afghanistan. Simultaneously, vaccine-derived strains continue to
emerge in countries with low vaccination coverage, with 149 cases reported this
year alone, including in Nigeria.
With World Polio Day on
October 24, health experts are urging a renewed commitment to eradication
goals, warning that dwindling donor support, coupled with conflict, weak health
systems, and increasing vaccine hesitancy, poses a significant threat to
decades of progress.
Dr. Amoth affirmed that
Kenya remains “steadfast in ensuring every child is protected until polio
is wiped out completely.”
The DG urged health
professionals and public health agencies emphasize that sustaining high
immunization rates is the best protection. Additionally, parents should ensure that
their children complete vaccinations and should be given according to the
schedule.
He also urged members of the
public to maintain hygiene at all times, ensuring that they wash hands
regularly, consume safe drinking water, and avoid unsanitary conditions that
could facilitate the virus’s spread.
Dr Amoth also reminded
parents to report any suspected cases, saying that any sudden onset of
weakness or paralysis in a child should be reported to healthcare authorities
without delay.