The Story Linking Deaths Of Two Children To Polio Vaccine Complications Lacked Proof
The Mt Kenya Times 
County Governments Polio vaccination in Kenya
By: Joseph Mutua Ndonga
Worth Noting:
- This is now a reality following the unveiling of Social Health Authority (SHA) and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). SHIF which replaced NHIF offers a comprehensive cover to all Kenyans and it is implemented by SHA.
- One does not need to be a rocket scientist to know that President Ruto’s critics were envious of the success he has made in this endeavor.
- For many years, lack of quality and affordable healthcare stood out as a key challenge facing the people of Kenya.
- So, if Dr Ruto manage to sort out this mess, this will definitely shape up his legacy in a big way.
For the second time in a month, the Ministry of Health is currently giving polio vaccine to the children below five years of age.
In the first round, 3.6 million children received the vaccine administered orally and there were no complaints lodged.
But as the current phase 2 kicks off, one of the mainstream newspaper has resorted to making outrageous and unsubstantiated allegations.
In a screaming appearing on front page Sunday edition, this paper wrote.
Two children lost their lives last month due to complications related to polio vaccine.
To me, this story lacked proof and many interpreted the authors’ intention as being out to engage President William Ruto in a smear campaign.
As we know, Dr Ruto has succeeded in fulfillment one of his key pre-election pledges.
He had promised Kenyans that if he wins the election he would prioritize on rollout of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
This is now a reality following the unveiling of Social Health Authority (SHA) and Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). SHIF which replaced NHIF offers a comprehensive cover to all Kenyans and it is implemented by SHA.
One does not need to be a rocket scientist to know that President Ruto’s critics were envious of the success he has made in this endeavor.
For many years, lack of quality and affordable healthcare stood out as a key challenge facing the people of Kenya.
So, if Dr Ruto manage to sort out this mess, this will definitely shape up his legacy in a big way.
Given this background, many believe this newspaper is pushing the agenda of Dr Ruto’s opponents.
The piece lacked an iota of evidence because the authors failed to respond to the following questions. Who were the parents of these two children? Where did they hail from? Did the kids ‘died’ on the spot? If not, which hospital (s) were they taken to?
Besides, one would have expected this paper to publish the findings of the autopsy reports. Were the deaths caused by polio vaccine related complications? Where were they buried?
It is also worth noting this paper published this story one month after. If true the deaths of two children had been caused by complications related to polio vaccine, why did this paper fail to publish this story immediately? Why wait for one month?
This flew in the face of work ethics for members of forth estate.
There is nothing to gain by scaring and instilling fear to parents and guardians.
Infact, this cast a picture of people who lacked patriotism and love.
As we know, polio vaccine is administered to save the population from contracting polio when they grew up.
This is not the first time that this paper and some other media outlets have resorted to making outrageous and unverified claims about vaccines.
During the era of President Mwai Kibaki and his successor Uhuru Kenyatta, similar claims were made.
During the latter’s tenure, the Catholic Church and the media had claimed the vaccine administered to the young girls to help them fight cervical cancer was allegedly laced with a drug meant to make lose their fertility and become barren. In other words, they will never conceive and give birth. When challenged, they wouldn’t prove the claims. Instead they chickened out.
Today, a good number of these girls have given birth.
Believably, those who have not it is because they do not want to carry pregnancy in this early stage.
Joseph Mutua Ndonga Is A Writer And Social Commentator
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