Lodwar – October 8, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Following the County Government declaration of Kala Azar as an emergency in Turkana on September 26, 2025, and the call for joint interventions to contain its spread, the Department of Health and Sanitation held the second follow-up stakeholder meeting to review progress, share updates, and strengthen coordination.
The meeting, chaired by Dr Kidalio Ekiru, Director of Medical Services, and co-chaired by Daniel Esimit, Deputy Director of Preventive and Promotive Health, focused on four key interventions; early case detection and comprehensive treatment, strengthening the medical commodity supply chain, intensifying vector control, and widespread community sensitization to promote prevention and timely health-seeking behavior.
Kala-Azar, also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), is a neglected tropical disease caused by the Leishmania parasite and transmitted to humans by infected female sandflies. It is the second deadliest parasitic disease worldwide and can be fatal within two years of infection if not treated. Symptoms include prolonged fever and chills, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, weakness, swollen abdomen and lymph nodes, and yellow discoloration of the eyes and skin.
According to Peter Etee, County Health Records and Information Officer, Turkana has recorded 598 new cases in 2025, compared to 454 in 2024 — the highest number reported in the last five years. The peak occurred in January 2025 with 92 cases, followed by a steady decline, reaching only nine cases in September. The fatality rate also dropped from 18.4% in January to 6.4% in August and zero in September.
Etee revealed that three cases were imported from neighboring counties and that VL mostly affects men in Turkana. “In Turkana, Kala Azar has mostly been affecting men. Of all reported cases, about 72% were male and only 23% female. Eighty-seven percent of VL cases are children and young adults below 24 years, especially boys herding animals,” said Etee.
According to Dr Kidalio, Turkana is among the top ten counties in kenya which contribute 85% of malaria burden , with malaria prevalence in turkana standing at 39%, and is among the top five counties with a high TB burden — both co-morbidities of Kala Azar. “with a new vector Anopheles Stephensi detected causing an upsurge of malaria cases. Despite a drop of HIV cases in Turkana, it remains a co-morbidity,” he said.
Dr Kidalio added that while Community Health Promoters (CHPs) play a crucial role, limited resources have affected early detection, case definitions, and referrals since CHPs have not been adequately sensitized.
Cases reported in 2025 alone represent a quarter of all cases reported over the last five years. During the meeting, it was noted that Turkana West leads with the most suspected cases (75), followed by Turkana North (54), Lokiriama (33), Turkana South (29), Lokichogio (28), Turkana East (22), Kibish (17), Turkana Central (16), and Aroo (15). These cases have not yet been officially confirmed.
Director Esimit emphasized that while some sub-counties may be more affected, the entire county remains at risk. He highlighted several contributing factors to the rise in cases, including the malaria upsurge, and added, “We need to also address nutrition interventions in order to stop the spread of this deadly disease.”
Dr Barbara Amonde, Project Medical Coordinator at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), shared lessons learned from MSF’s previous support of VL interventions in Marsabit and Wajir counties. She advised the team to improve access to testing and treatment commodities at the facility level while emphasizing responsible documentation and case definition.
“I encourage you all to use the case management form as a tool to guide the right information and documentation for each patient, leading to accurate diagnosis and treatment. We need to ensure that the right treatment goes to the right patient,” she said.
She commended healthcare workers based in Kakuma for their high level of organization and for assigning a specific team to handle VL cases to ensure improved patient care and treatment.
Meanwhile, Dr Nelson Lolos, Health Specialist at UNICEF, reminded the team that declining numbers do not mean Turkana is out of danger. “We need to move to action with speed. These interventions require a multi-disciplinary approach, including nutrition and outreach. We also need to mobilize blood products to address anemia,” he said.
The department will hold an internal rapid response meeting this Friday to act on the concerns raised and coordinate an immediate response, guided by surveillance and health records reports. The County Disease Outbreak Committee has also summoned its subcommittees, including surveillance, risk communication, and vector management.
Senior County Health Management Team members were present. Save the Children was also represented.
