One Shot, Long Life!
One shot, Long Life! is a podcast focused on The Global Health Advocacy Incubator's (GHAI) and its partner CSOs' Immunization Budget Advocacy program, aiming to boost advocacy for domestic funding and accountability to reach zero-dose children and improve immunization coverage across many low- and middle-income countries. Through conversational interviews, it seeks to elevate thought leadership and foster knowledge exchange among policymakers, donors, and health officials to strengthen immunization efforts in low- and middle-income countries.
One Shot, Long Life!
Episode 6: Reversing Kenya's Vaccine Stockouts
Kenya faces a critical crossroads in its immunization journey. Despite last financial year’s health budget of 127 billion shillings (nearly $1 billion USD), the country experienced vaccine stockouts in 12 counties in April 2025, forcing some desperate parents to travel across borders for routine childhood vaccines.
In this episode of "One Shot, Long Life!" host Abel Akara Ticha uncovers the systemic challenges threatening Kenya's immunization program with two influential voices: Hon. James Nyikal (Medical Doctor and Health Committee Member of Parliament) and Faith Ndungu (Advocacy and Communications Manager at HENNET).
Discover how overdependence on donor funding, procurement delays and budget disbursement bottlenecks create a perfect storm of vaccine shortages. Learn about the personal toll—from Hon. Nyikal's domestic worker traveling to Uganda for vaccines to healthcare workers turning away hopeful mothers. Understand the dire consequences: potential measles outbreaks, permanent disabilities from polio and the loss of hard-won herd immunity.
With Gavi support for Kenya ending in 2029, in principle, this episode explores urgent solutions: innovative financing through social health insurance, county-level engagement, and the critical role of parliamentary oversight. Faith Ndungu outlines how the Kenya Women's Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) successfully advocated for Gavi co-financing payments, while Hon. Nyikal discusses legislative reforms needed to prevent future stockouts.