Kenya to launch anti-polio drive after outbreak in Sudan (AFP)

NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenya said it will launch an emergency drive to vaccinate nearly 200,000 children against polio in the country's northwest this month after an outbreak in January in neighboring Sudan.

The innoculations, funded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN children's agency, UNICEF, will be administered in two stages in three districts that border southern Sudan, Health Minister Charity Ngilu said.

More than 190,000 children in Kenya's northwestern Turkana, West Pokot and Marsabit districts will be vaccinated for polio between February 26 to 28 and between April 2 to 4, she said in a statement.

Last month, WHO carried out a vaccination campaign in Sudan due to fears of an outbreak there after a leap in polio cases from none to 112 over a nine-month period in 2004.

"Due to the geographical proximity of Sudan to Kenya and the interaction of the people, Kenya is threatened with the risk of an outbreak, particularly in northwestern districts," Ngilu said.

All children under the age of five, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated against polio in the past, will receive the innoculation as well as supplements of Vitamin A to boost their immunity.

Kenya recorded its last polio case in 1984.