Turkana Trains 40 Health Officers to Boost Vaccine Management and Coverage

The Department of Health and Sanitation in Turkana County has trained more than 40 sub-county vaccine depot managers in a renewed effort to strengthen vaccine management and curb vaccine-preventable diseases across the region.

The capacity-building exercise, supported by the National Vaccination Program on Immunisation and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), aimed to enhance the skills of frontline vaccine handlers and improve overall immunisation outcomes.

Speaking during the training, Acting Director for Preventive and Promotive Health Services, Lucas Edete, underscored the need for data-informed strategies to increase vaccine uptake.

“Let us identify areas that have low vaccination and factors contributing to it, so we can improve on our numbers,” Edete said, urging health officers to maximise the use of resources mobilised through strategic partnerships.

County Expanded Program on Immunisation (EPI) Coordinator, Daniel Erus, highlighted significant progress in Turkana’s vaccination coverage, attributing the gains to improved facilities and targeted immunisation strategies.
“The county government has improved healthcare facilities that are enabled to carry immunisation programmes across the county from 130 to 230,” he noted.

County Health Records and Information Director, Peter Etee, said the training will empower health workers to enhance data-driven decision-making, a crucial element in achieving immunisation goals.

The Director of the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan (KISEDP), Godfrey Akolong, called for similar training opportunities for private clinics providing immunisation services. Strengthening their capacity, he said, is vital to ensuring quality, safety and consistency across the broader health system.

Aroo Sub-County Medical Officer of Health, Veronica Ereng, added that the training will help officers better determine vaccine potency and stay updated on the status of cold-chain equipment at the sub-county level.

The event brought together county and sub-county health management teams, medical officers of health and EPI depot managers from various sub-counties, marking a united front in strengthening Turkana’s immunisation efforts.