We need to eliminate Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MTN) which occurs when deliveries happen in unsanitary conditions.
Neonatal tetanus is almost always fatal in the absence of medical care. These deaths can be prevented with changes in traditional obstetrical practices and maternal immunisation. We cannot achieve these if we continue opposing immunisation.
Although tetanus can affect anyone, women and infants are particularly at risk when deliveries and cord stump care are performed in unsanitary conditions. This may lead to tissue contamination.
Tetanus contributes to a large proportion of maternal and neonatal mortality worldwide estimated in 2008 to have claimed approximately 180,000 lives per year.
Unlike polio and smallpox, tetanus cannot be eradicated (tetanus spores are present in the environment worldwide) but through immunisation of expectant mothers and other women of reproductive age, and promotion of more hygienic deliveries and cord care practices, MNT can be eliminated.
Recently, there has been a debate on whether the vaccine is safe or not with the Catholic Church leaders saying it affects women reproductive system. However, Health Cabinet Secretary James Macharia said that the tetanus vaccine had been scientifically proven to be safe and does not impact the female reproductive capacity.
Kenya is among the 28 countries which are yet to be declared tetanus free by World Health Organization (WHO). According to the Head of Vaccine and Immunisation Services Dr Ephantus Maree, the vaccine is given to women aged 14-49 years because they are in the child-bearing age.
Anti-tetanus vaccine coverage is likely to increase rapidly if supplemental door-to-door immunisation campaigns are adopted over and above the routine clinic-based immunisations.
Health education should also emphasise the need to take multiple doses of the tetanus toxoid regardless of the pregnancy status of women of child-bearing age. There should also be the inclusion of routine anti-tetanus vaccination in school health services which will help increase the coverage of tetanus toxoid vaccination.
Health-care workers at all levels of health-care delivery requires more training in the technicalities of anti-tetanus vaccination as they should form the arrowhead of health education drives in communities.
Even with all those measures the main prevention is women should be giving birth in hospital rather than traditional birth attendance.