Health
Kenya Kicks Off Polio Campaign
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Kenya has kicked off its 2017 immunization effort with a polio campaign this week, targeting 2.9 million children aged five years and under.
The campaign, January 18-22, is targeting 15 counties that are that are considered on higher risk and vulnerable and which are mainly situated in remote, hard-to-reach and border areas.
The campaign also covers Nairobi County, the travel hub that brings the rest of the world into Kenya. The other counties include: Isiolo, Samburu, West Pokot, Turkana, Marsabit, Garissa, Tana River, Wajir, Lamu, Bungoma, Busia and Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Nairobi and Mandera.
The campaign or supplementary immunization activity (SIA) marks the country’s commitment to avert any possible polio outbreak given renewed threats of polio due to an outbreak in Borno State Nigeria last July and August.
Since then, countries in the Horn of Africa region have committed to initiate polio campaigns to ensure the region continues to be safe. The cases in Nigeria became evident after the conflict area associated with the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State became more accessible.
Before then, Nigeria, Africa and the global polio eradication community had enjoyed some relief after Nigeria was removed from the list of polio endemic countries in 2015 after going without a case for a year.
Speaking at the national launch in Isiolo County, Director of Health Services Dr Jackson Kioko said there was need to vaccinate children in this campaign in order to improve the overall population immunity especially in areas where routine vaccination coverage was low.
He said the outbreak in Nigeria last August had put children in Kenya at risk. He gave assurance that the vaccine used for the campaign was safe and was exactly the same as that used for routine vaccination in all health facilities, public or private.
He said about three quarters of children under two (73 per cent) were fully immunized while the rest were either unimmunized or under-immunized.
WHO Country Representative Dr Rudi Eggers said that until poliovirus transmission was interrupted in all endemic countries, all countries including Kenya still remained at risk of importation of polio.
“This is particularly true of vulnerable countries (including some of Kenya’s neighbours) with weak public health and immunization services and travel or trade links to endemic countries.”
In addition, he said due to the low polio vaccination coverage rates found in some counties, there were many children left vulnerable to the disease even in Kenya.
He called on the need for a comprehensive approach in which all eligible children (0-2 years) are reached with all the life-saving routine immunization vaccines (BCG, Measles, Pentavalent, Rota, Yellow Fever, IPV and others), regardless of where they are born, who they are or where they live. In remarks read by Dr Iheoma Onuekwusi, EPI lead WHO Kenya, Dr Eggers said evidence had shown that one out of every five children were missed by routine immunization services in Kenya as a whole and many more in remote, and hard to reach areas in Kenya. He said for effective disease control and eradication, there was need to strengthen and address gaps in routine immunization services and the surveillance system.
“To secure and maintain a polio free world, we must reach every last child with the polio vaccine through Routine Immunization services and during immunization campaigns.”
The launch was attended by among others Isiolo County governor, Godana Doyo who said vaccination was a sure way of protecting the child’s health and future.
Polio ambassador in Isiolo County Mohamed Abdulahi said: “If my parents had enabled my vaccination, I would not be dependent on other people for mobility (“Wazazi wangu wangenipatia chanjo ya polio singekuwa nasukumwa na gari ya kusukumwa”).
National polio ambassador Senator Harold Kipchumba urged parents and neighbours to get their children vaccinated, adding that once infected by the virus, the disability could not be reversed.
“All you need are two drops to protect the child from polio,” he said. Dr Eggers also said no efforts were being spared to interrupt transmission of the Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in the endemic countries. These are Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. In 2016, 35 polio cases caused by wild type virus were detected from these three countries he added, in a speech read by Dr Iheoma Onuekwusi, EPI lead at WHO Kenya. He said the wild Poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) had been eradicated completely in 1999 while type 3 was virtually on the verge of eradication since it has not been detected anywhere in the world since November 2012. “The remaining strain, Type 1 WPV, could be eradicated with more effort on our part”, he added.
How real is the threat of polio?
The threat is real and has to be taken seriously, given the pattern in the last few outbreaks which emerged from the West African region. The last outbreak in 2013 also originating in Nigeria found its way into Kenya through Somalia. This was followed by numerous campaigns to ensure that every child was reached and through efforts to strengthen routine immunization and surveillance.
The last Horn of Africa Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting in September called on countries to avert any re-importation of polio. Dr Jean-Marc Olive, the chair of the TAG, said that given the
population movement pathways from West Africa to the region, the immunity surveillance gaps and declining routine immunization and previous history in Horn of Africa countries, the region was
vulnerable to an importation of the virus.
“After polio virus was identified in Borno state in Nigeria, we have to ask ourselves if there could be a Borno-like situation in our countries in the Horn-of-Africa, where we are missing transmission for a long period,” he said. Each country needed to find its ‘weakest point’ that they would focus on, he added. The virus in Nigeria is believed to have circulated without being detected for about five years and had possibly been exported to neighboring countries. Borno State is an insecure area whose access had been hampered by the Boko Haram insurgents and surveillance severely limited with close to half of settlements inaccessible.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Dr Obi Adigwe has been appointed as the pioneer National Coordinator of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO).
The body was created by the Ministry of Health under the approval of President Bola Tinubu.
NHTDAO will be domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, a statement on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated.
The agency will serve as a meta-level national platform for coordinating the country’s digital-health agenda. It will reinforce, not replace, the existing statutory functions of relevant departments and agencies, it was emphasised.
The organisation will also harmonise and empower the public and private institutions across the health system, set the standards that connect them, and operationalise the National Digital Health Architecture, approved by the National Council on Health in November 2025.
It was stated that President Tinubu expects NHTDAO to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, interoperable and data-driven health system that improves outcomes for all citizens.
Mr Adigwe, as Director General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, has leveraged science to catalyse interventions in artificial intelligence, translational research, and technology transfer.
He coordinated major projects, including the ¥300m Nanotechnology grant and the AFREXIMBank grant for Africa’s first API Training Facility. He led the roadmap development that underpinned an €18 million EU grant, the largest in Africa for the thematic area. During the last pandemic, Adigwe globally showcased African science by undertaking the world’s first analysis to debunk claims about the Covid Organics preparation.
The Office’s Steering Committee, which provides strategic direction and oversight, comprises:
- Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare (Co-chair)
- Mr Olaniyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (Co-chair)
- Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare (Alternate Co-chair)
- Ms Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
- Mr Idris Alubankudi Saliu, Special Adviser to the President on Technology and Digital Economy
- Dr Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, National Coordinator, SWAp Coordination Office
- Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator, Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chain
- Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency
- Dr Kelechi Ohiri, Director General, National Health Insurance Authority
- Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
- National Information Technology Development Agency Representative
- Six representatives of the State Commissioners of Health, one from each of the six geopolitical zones
- Pharm Hamza Buhari, Stakeholder representing Industry and Community.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos State government has kicked off an initiative to ensure that every newborn is screened for Sickle Cell Disease within 48 to 72 hours after birth using a simple heel-prick test.
It was gathered that babies identified as being at risk will immediately be placed on preventive care while awaiting confirmatory testing.
The Head of the Haematology Department at the Alimosho General Hospital, Dr Olubukola Orolu, revealed that an estimated 150,000 babies are born annually with Sickle Cell Disease in Nigeria, giving the country one of the highest SCD burdens globally.
She, however, applauded the Lagos State Government and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) for introducing the state-wide newborn screening programme, describing it as a major step towards reducing childhood deaths associated with the disease.
The commencement of this scheme coincides with the 2026 World Sickle Cell Day, themed Young Voices Rising for Sickle Cell Disease – Closing the Survival Gap: Equity in Sickle Cell Disease.
It highlights the importance of listening to the experiences and aspirations of young people living with Sickle Cell Disease.
Mrs Orolu noted that SCD warriors are increasingly breaking barriers as advocates, leaders, students and change-makers, adding that their voices have continued to reshape the narrative through advocacy for equitable, patient-centred healthcare, self-care and experience sharing.
She, therefore, called for equal access to quality healthcare, survival opportunities and dignity for everyone living with Sickle Cell Disease.
Also commenting, the chief executive of Alimosho General Hospital, Dr Akinyele Akinlade, described Sickle Cell Disease as an inherited blood disorder that is not contagious, noting that individuals living with the condition are more susceptible to infections.
He advised SCD warriors to stay well hydrated, avoid stress, and protect themselves from extreme cold or heat, as these are common triggers of sickle cell crises, adding that these preventive measures can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of crises.
One of the participants, Ms Borokini Zainab, an SCD warrior and student nurse, expressed appreciation to the organisers for the enlightenment programme.
Sharing her personal journey, she spoke about the challenges of balancing recurrent pain crises with her academic pursuits and personal life. Despite moments of frustration, she encouraged fellow warriors not to lose hope.
“Don’t let sickle cell put you down. Be encouraged from within. Don’t let your dreams be shattered because of this,” she said, adding that her personal experience with Sickle Cell Disease inspired her to pursue a career in nursing so she could support others living with the condition.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A 12-week health-tech incubation programme tailored for early-stage founders in Nigeria has been introduced by an innovation and venture-building platform, Evon Labs.
This initiative, known as HealthX Catalyst, will help participants to create scalable, investable solutions for Africa’s urgent healthcare issues.
The programme is underway, with 12 selected founders nearing the final weeks of intensive incubation, ending with a Demo Day on June 24, 2026, at the UNDP innovation centre in Lagos, where the small business owners will present their solutions to an audience of investors, healthcare leaders, development organisations, and technology partners.
The initiative selects early-stage healthcare founders and immerses them in a structured 12-week development process. Throughout this period, participants receive personalised and group mentorship from seasoned professionals across the healthcare, technology, and business sectors.
They also receive structured support for startup development, including refining business models, developing value propositions, and validating markets.
Additionally, participants gain access to a network of healthcare practitioners, sector experts, and industry leaders, along with targeted investment-readiness assistance to prepare them to engage with investors and strategic partners after the programme.
The result is a cohort of founders who move through the programme not simply with a refined pitch, but with a validated business model, a stronger professional network, and a clear pathway to growth.
To accelerate the most promising solutions beyond the programme, monetary grants will be awarded to the top three founders to support product development, pilot implementation, market validation, and early-stage scaling.
It was learned that HealthX Catalyst was developed in response to a structural gap in the African health-tech ecosystem.
Across the continent, a growing number of entrepreneurs are building solutions to healthcare problems from access and diagnostics to service delivery and health data infrastructure. Yet many of these early-stage ideas fail to progress beyond concept, not for lack of vision, but for lack of structured support: mentorship, startup development frameworks, industry access, and early-stage funding pathways. HealthX Catalyst was built to provide exactly that.
“Africa does not have a shortage of healthcare innovators. What it has lacked is the infrastructure to turn its ideas into sustainable businesses. HealthX Catalyst is that infrastructure, a serious, structured programme designed to take founders from early-stage ideas to investable startups.
“What we are seeing from this first cohort is exactly what we set out to create: founders who are not just building products, but building businesses that can scale and create lasting impact,” the founder of Evon Labs, Ms Isioma Udeozo, said of the unveiling of HealthX Catalyst.
The partners of the programme are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Odua Investment Company Limited (OICL), Washington University of St Louis, Missouri, Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), and Brooks Insights.
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