Kenya News

Nairobi—Across Kenya and the wider region, monthly collections of wastewater and stool samples make their way to the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), where laboratory analysis searches for early evidence of poliovirus. Early detection of poliovirus, a highly contagious disease that can cause permanent paralysis in children, enables Kenya and neighbouring countries to confirm cases quickly and launch targeted interventions before the virus spreads through vulnerable communities.

Nairobi—Kenya completed its first mpox vaccination campaign in September 2025. The country deployed 10 700 doses of MVA-BN vaccine across three high-burden counties: Mombasa, Busia and Nakuru. In just 10 days, from 3–12 September, the campaign surpassed the national target by reaching 10 697 people, achieving 105.2% coverage.

Garissa County—Kenya has taken a significant step toward strengthening health migration by training 35 frontline healthcare workers from Garissa, Wajir, and Mandera counties. These regions host large population of migrant, refugee, and nomadic communities.

Nairobi—Since the launch of the Tobacco-Free Farms initiative in 2022, over 9000 farmers in Kenya have shifted from tobacco farming to alternative livelihoods.  

The initiative’s primary aim is to provide tobacco farmers with sustainable, profitable livelihoods by encouraging them to grow alternative food crops. This not only addresses the health risks of tobacco farming but also the social, economic and environmental damage it causes.

Nairobi—Kenya is strengthening its national cholera outbreak preparedness and response during the current long rainy season, expected to last until the end of May. Four counties ‒ Nairobi, Kisumu,Migori and Kwale ‒ are experiencing a cholera outbreak, which was declared in late February 2025. So far, 256 suspected cases and 13 deaths have been reported, with a case fatality rate of 5.2%, exceeding the 1% threshold which indicates early and adequate treatment of cholera patients.