A measles outbreak in the US has raised global health concerns, with newborns in Kenya facing increased risk of diseases if a global vaccine initiative follows through on its threat to withhold vaccines from the country.

Kenya is at risk of running out of vaccine supplies due to government’s failure to meet its Sh1.6 billion co-financing obligation to Gavi, the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.

Among the childhood vaccines that could be affected are Measles Rubella (MR), malaria, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV), Pentavalent, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the rotavirus vaccine that prevents diarrhoea causing neonatal deaths, Typhoid Vaccine (TCV), and Yellow Fever (YF).