The Ministry of Health has received Mpox kits and drugs from the World Health Organization (WHO) through USAID for the management of Neglected tropical Diseases (NTDS).
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Dr. Deborah Barasa said the kits have come at a critical time as Kenya tries to contain the Mpox outbreak that has so far affected at least three people in the country.
“The testing kits will significantly strengthen our capacity to detect and respond to Mpox cases more swiftly and effectively, ultimately saving lives and combating the spread of the outbreak,” she said.
The CS thanked WHO for providing essential NTD medicines to be used in the next Mass Drug Administration (MDA) cycle.
“These medicines will be used to combat three endemic NTDs in the country, such as lymphatic filariasis (LF), soil-transmitted helminths (STH), and schistosomiasis (SCH), in the Coastal region, Lake Victoria basin, and Western regions, where the disease burden remains highest,” Barasa said.
The CS said Kenya has made significant progress towards NTDs, through the implementation of impactful interventions targeting such diseases, including the use of preventive chemotherapy.
“I want to acknowledge the deployment of preventive chemotherapy medicines through Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaigns, targeting communities at risk plays a critical role in the fight against NTDs by interrupting the cycle of disease transmission,” she said.
She said community health promoters would play a key role in implementing the MDA in the endemic counties.
“I hereby direct teams conducting the MDA to register all the members of the households they visit for the Social Health Insurance Fund under the Social Health Authority, so that they can enjoy affordable services under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) program,” she said.
Barasa said the elimination of NTDs would go a long way in moving closer to UHC by ensuring services reach the most vulnerable and no one is left behind in the campaign.
“Government is committed to eliminating the priority endemic NTDs by 2028, in line with the third National Master Plan for the Elimination of NTDs (2023 to 2027). To achieve this, we will be working with all partners to build on past progress and address current challenges towards these targets,” she said.
WHO country representative Dr Abdourahmane Diallo said the WHO is donating medicines to support Kenya’s fight against NTDs and eliminate conditions like Schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiases.
“These diseases predominantly affect the most vulnerable, often perpetuating cycles of poverty and suffering, especially in areas where Water, Sanitation, and healthcare services are limited,” Diallo said.
He said NTDs, which affect more than 1 billion people globally are dubbed ‘neglected’ because they are often sidelined on the global health agenda, leading to limited resources and the stigmatisation of affected populations.
“WHO has donated tablets of NTD medicines, which will be used for mass drug administration later this month, aimed to reach over 15 million people across 15 targeted counties in Kenya,” Diallo said.
He said WHO is donating 28 diagnostic kits for testing 2,688 suspected Mpox samples, along with 2,500 scalpel blades, viral transport media, and swabs for sample collection to strengthen Kenya’s capacity for rapid and accurate diagnosis.
Diallo told the public WHO remains committed to supporting Kenya’s efforts in both the elimination of NTDs and ensuring emerging infectious diseases like Mpox are rapidly and effectively managed.
