[Vaccination of children in Kenya]

Since 1980, Danida has supported Kenya Expanded Programme on Immunization (KEPI) financially and with technical advisers. Before the introduction of KEPI, 43% of Kenyan children were fully immunized and the measles vaccine efficacy (VE) was 50%. A national survey in 1987 showed that vaccination coverage had increased to 51% and VE to 70%, but there are still pronounced geographical and social differences. The number of immunizing clinics has been doubled to 1,250, and it is regarded as more important to create a programme, which provides the majority of Kenyan children with continuous and reliable immunization services, than to increase coverage rapidly. The total cost of the programme was about 7 million US $ in 1987, equivalent to 12.39 $ per fully immunized child; 62% of this consisted of local salaries, 21% of vaccines, 11% of annualized capital costs and 6% of other running costs. KEPI will face significant challenges in the near future and continued technical and financial support from foreign donors will be required.