How myths, politics and religion affect vaccine uptake in Nakuru county

Vaccine uptake in Nakuru County, in rural and urban areas, faces hurdles due to persistent myths and misconceptions that continue to shape the attitudes of people in the community.

Chief Officer for Public Health Joyce Ncece says many residents still associate vaccines with harmful intentions, including beliefs that they are linked to foreign agendas aimed at controlling Africa’s population.

“Many residents still associate vaccines with harmful intentions, including beliefs that they are linked to foreign agendas aimed at controlling Africa’s population. That is not true,” she says.

“This has slowed down acceptance of lifesaving interventions such as the Human Papillomavirus vaccine, even though Nakuru ranks second after Nairobi in cervical cancer diagnosis.”

CO Ncece stresses that misinformation around side effects has also discouraged parents and guardians from taking children for immunization.

“If one child reacts to a vaccine, or in the rare case of a death, communities take it as proof that all vaccines are dangerous. That kind of fear is difficult to erase,” she notes.

One of the most entrenched myths, she explains, is the belief that the HPV vaccine interferes with fertility.

“Very few mothers, even those who are educated, allow their daughters under 14 to receive the HPV vaccine. They believe it will make their girls unable to bear children, yet this is the very vaccine that protects them from cervical cancer,” she says.

CO Ncece adds that religion and the church have also played a big role in shaping perceptions.

“Some denominations advocate only natural methods and discourage vaccines they associate with family planning,” she says.

“At the same time, the media is very influential. People trust what they hear on the radio or read in newspapers. If the wrong message is carried, it creates fear, but if the right information is shared, it builds trust.”

Politics, she says, has also complicated immunization programs in addition to speculations that the vaccines are free, which many people often want to distance themselves from, noting that those are ‘rejects’ from first-world countries.

Despite the setbacks, Ncece says Nakuru has adopted a multi-sector approach to counter myths and boost confidence.

“We are involving churches, schools, the media, Nyumba Kumi, and even national government officials. In schools, children have become our best messengers. They go home and educate their parents to let them get vaccinated,” she explains.

When asked about which of the sub-counties rank high in low vaccine uptake due to the misconceptions, CO Ncece declined to single them out, noting that such focus could steer the conversation away from the importance of lifesaving vaccines.

Looking ahead, Ncece says the county is preparing to roll out new vaccines for emerging health threats. “From next month, we will begin sensitization on the Mpox vaccine. It will not be for everyone because supply is limited and will only target vulnerable groups,” she explains.

She concludes that collective action is the only way to win the fight against vaccine hesitancy.

“If my child is not safe and your child is safe, then neither of them is safe. That is why we need the county, the churches, teachers, the media, and parents to work together to ensure no child is left unprotected because of myths,” she says.