Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of emergency medical services in Nairobi, Kenya.

Introduction: Emergency medical services (EMS) are vital for providing immediate medical or trauma care to patients and stabilizing them for transportation to hospitals. Following the confirmation of the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Kenya on March 13th, 2020, the government announced several measures to curb its spread, including movement restrictions and the use of ambulance services for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to determine the utilization of EMS in Kenya the year before and one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-term impact of rotavirus vaccination on all-cause and rotavirus-specific gastroenteritis and strain distribution in Central Kenya: An 11-year interrupted time-series analysis.

Background: Kenya introduced a monovalent rotavirus vaccine administered orally at 6 and 10 weeks of age into her National Immunization Program in July 2014. The study evaluated the long-term impact of the vaccine on hospitalization for all-cause and rotavirus-specific acute gastroenteritis (AGE) and strain epidemiology in Kenya.

Methods: Data on all-cause and rotavirus-specific AGE and strain distribution were derived from an eleven-year hospital-based surveillance of AGE among children aged <5 years at Kiambu County Teaching and Referral Hospital (KCTRH) in Central Kenya between 2009 and 2020.