Nairobi- May 8, 2025, Nairobi (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The Deputy Governor Dr John Erus has reaffirmed the County Government’s commitment to evidence-based approaches in tackling the impacts of climate change.

Speaking at the Humanitarian Health Research Forum in Nairobi, Dr Erus cited the recent Malaria Seasonal Chemotherapy research that successfully generated critical data for decision-making on Malaria prevention and control as a critical example of the commitment.

“Turkana County is prone to malaria. Through collaboration in research, we now have critical findings on malaria for the Turkana County Government to utilize in decision-making,” said DG Erus during a panel discussion on Power, Priorities & Possibilities.

Turkana being prone to malaria, has seen a rise in transmission fueled by erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells- climate extremes that have intensified both drought and flood risks.

In response, the County piloted Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) in collaboration with research institutions. The intervention, which targeted children under five, revealed the huge role of research in modeling prevention measures to reduce children’s vulnerability to malaria.

“These findings are not academic- they are actionable,” noted the Deputy Governor. “We have learned from experience. The value of empirical research is undeniable. As a county, we are now determined to integrate such findings into all future planning, especially in climate-sensitive sectors like health.”

The forum, hosted by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), brought together researchers, donors, and policymakers to explore how humanitarian climate-health research can be better coordinated and funded in a rapidly changing world.

A recurring theme was the need to shift power to local actors, value indigenous knowledge, and align research with the priorities of communities most affected by climate impacts.

“Understanding local knowledge and finding local solutions is critical,” added Dr Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, Senior Research Scientist at APHRC. “We must work on policy-relevant research, which adds value even for humanitarian response.”

The Deputy Governor divulged that the use of research-backed solutions would extend beyond malaria to embrace nutrition, water resource management, early warning systems and conservation of the blue economy resource rich Lake Turkana.