Kenya is intensifying its fight against malaria as new data highlights the complex challenges posed by changing climatic patterns. Malaria remains a significant public health and economic burden for the country, with transmission patterns closely linked to seasonal rainfall. Following the long and short rainy seasons, malaria outbreaks often surge dramatically, as witnessed in 2023 when the country reported approximately 5.5 million cases, translating to an incidence rate of 104 cases per 1,000 people. The persistent high disease burden calls for robust and adaptable intervention strategies.
The situation is particularly dire in six counties — Busia, Kakamega, Kisumu, Migori, Siaya, and Vihiga — which collectively recorded a staggering 748 malaria cases per 1,000 individuals. Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kwale, Turkana, and West Pokot have also reported troubling rates, with figures around 474 cases per 1,000 people. In response, the government has deployed a range of measures aimed at curbing the spread of the disease, including the distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying (IRS), improved case management at the community level, and the introduction of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC).
Indoor residual spraying has remained a cornerstone of Kenya’s malaria vector control strategy, particularly in high-risk areas like Migori and Busia Counties. Supported by the US President’s Malaria Initiative, the program targets the interior walls of homes where mosquitoes are most likely to rest. From March to May 2024, the spraying campaign achieved over 95 percent coverage, successfully treating 423,037 of 444,890 eligible structures. This effort has provided protection to nearly two million people and has contributed significantly to declining malaria rates, particularly in Busia County, where incidence dropped by 50 percent from 746 per 1,000 people in 2023 to 358 in 2024. Despite some setbacks, such as environmental restrictions that delayed operations in certain regions, the programme continues to play a vital role.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s mosquito net distribution campaign encountered challenges. The 2023/24 mass distribution effort, initially aiming to provide 18.6 million nets across 24 counties, faced funding shortfalls, resulting in the procurement of 15.3 million nets. Nonetheless, the innovative use of a digital platform known as DigiMal-KE helped streamline the campaign, leading to the distribution of 14.6 million nets and coverage of over 28 million people, surpassing the World Health Organization’s minimum coverage recommendations.
Efforts to enhance data-driven malaria control have also seen considerable progress. The Ministry of Health’s National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) has strengthened its surveillance systems by digitizing entomological monitoring processes through the DHIS2 platform. Initially piloted in Migori and Kirinyaga counties, the initiative has expanded to 16 counties and enables real-time tracking of mosquito breeding sites, insecticide resistance patterns, and malaria transmission dynamics. This technological shift supports rapid decision-making and improved coordination between national and county health teams, ensuring more effective interventions.
In Turkana County, where malaria incidence still fluctuates with seasonal rains, a focused SMC campaign launched in 2024 has shown encouraging results. Targeting children under five years of age, the campaign achieved a 71 percent completion rate across all five cycles, with individual cycle coverage exceeding expectations. These advances underscore Kenya’s resilience and evolving strategy in its ongoing battle against malaria, even as changing climatic conditions continue to challenge traditional control measures.
