On a chilly Sunday morning in Imara Daima, a sprawling low-income neighborhood on the southeastern edge of Nairobi, 9-year-old Joy clutched her father’s hand as they left their local church. Instead of heading straight home, the two walked a few extra minutes to a mobile health outreach site set up as part of the national immunization campaign.
There, Joy became one of the millions of Kenyan children receiving the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV)—a game-changing addition to Kenya’s public health toolbox.
Her father, Wallace, a 40-year-old businessman, knew exactly why they were there.
“Once I heard about the vaccine, I made the decision to bring Joy—and her younger brother too. I understand the power of vaccines and therefore had no hesitation,” he said. “As a parent, my job is to protect my children. I wasn’t going to wait for them to get sick first.”
Joy lives with her parents and two siblings: a 17-year-old sister and a younger boy aged one and a half. The youngest was eligible for both the typhoid conjugate and measles-rubella (MR) vaccines and received both that day—just after his big sister.
Their community has long struggled with inconsistent access to clean water, poor sanitation, and overcrowding—conditions that make diseases like typhoid fever a constant threat.
Reaching 21 million children
Joy’s vaccination is part of a historic nationwide campaign officially launched on July 5 in Nairobi by Health Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale, alongside leaders from the Ministry of Health, development partners, and local health workers.
The campaign aims to reach children aged 9 months to younger than 15 years with TCV, and children aged 9 months to 59 months with the MR vaccine.
The goal is not just to protect against two dangerous diseases, but also to close gaps caused by disruptions to routine immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This campaign is not just about vaccines—it’s about giving every child a fair chance at a healthy future,” said CS Duale. “With the emergence of drug-resistant typhoid, we must act fast and decisively.”
A vaccination card from Kenya’s TCV and MR immunization campaign. Credit: PATH/Martin Mwangi.
Preventing typhoid and measles in Kenya
Typhoid fever continues to affect thousands of Kenyan families every year. In informal settlements like Imara Daima, open sewage lines and the lack of clean water and proper toilets makes it easy for the bacteria to spread—especially among children younger than 15.
Now, with a single dose of TCV, children like Joy can be protected for at least four years. The vaccine is safe, effective, and approved by the World Health Organization. Kenya becomes the fifth country in Africa to introduce TCV nationally, after Liberia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Burkina Faso, thanks to years of collaboration between the Ministry of Health and partners like PATH, WHO, UNICEF, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
While the statistics are staggering—Kenya recorded nearly 3,000 cases of measles and 18 deaths from January 2024 to February 2025—it’s children like Joy and her brother who give meaning to the numbers.
Wallace, Joy’s father, is also part of a quiet but growing revolution: fathers taking active roles in their children’s healthcare.
“This is not just mothers’ work,” Wallace said firmly. “Fathers must show up too. I want my children to know that their health is my responsibility too.”
Mobile outreach improves access to vaccines
The mobile outreach team that vaccinated Joy and her brother is part of a broader effort to bring services closer to the people—especially in underserved areas where clinic access can be limited.
“We know families are busy, or may not know where to go,” said Florence, a nurse who helped run the outreach. “That’s why we come to churches, schools, and markets. If they can’t come to us, we go to them.”
Dr. Emmanuel Mugisha, Global Director for Vaccine Implementation at PATH, emphasized the deeper meaning and importance of the campaign: “When a child like Joy gets vaccinated, it represents much more than a medical act—it is a triumph of equity. TCV ensures that children in places like Imara Daima have the same protection as those in affluent neighborhoods. That’s the power of vaccines. That’s the power of partnership.”
A vaccinator administers typhoid conjugate vaccine to a child in Busia, Kenya. Credit: PATH/Martin Mwangi.
Partnering to take on typhoid
PATH, a core partner of the Typhoid Vaccine Acceleration Consortium (TyVAC), works closely with the National Vaccines & Immunization Program (NVIP) in Kenya to deliver on myriad activities. In support of the TCV and MR campaign, PATH implemented various activities alongside the NVIP, including support for the development of messages and materials to ensure communities were aware of the campaign. PATH also hosted four webinars with influential stakeholders, including pediatricians, nurses, and religious leaders, to ensure clear, accurate, and consistent information reached influential messengers.
“When a child like Joy gets vaccinated, it represents much more than a medical act—it is a triumph of equity.”— Dr. Emmanuel Mugisha, Global Director for Vaccine Implementation, PATH
During the campaign, PATH staff in Kenya provided monitoring and supervision support throughout the country, working alongside vaccination teams to update records, troubleshoot challenges, and make strategic plans to reach as many children as possible.
Kenya is building on the strategic lessons learned from previous TCV introduction campaigns in the Africa region, including in Liberia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Burkina Faso.
Back at the outreach site, Joy received her vaccine with a brave smile and a lollipop from the nurse. Her father held her close.
“She didn’t even cry,” he laughed. “And now I know she’s protected. That’s what matters most.”
As Kenya rolls out the TCV and MR vaccines to reach more than 20 million children, stories like Joy’s remind us that public health victories happen one child at a time—in churches, schools, and busy neighborhoods across the country.
