Nairobi Schools Conduct Regular Health Screening for Learners

Schools across Nairobi are increasingly implementing regular health screenings for students as part of a strengthened school-health agenda. The initiative aligns with national directives calling for routine health screening in schools to identify and manage priority illnesses early, including vision problems, chronic conditions and immunization status.
Under the Nairobi City County’s planned school-health strategy, county health teams will collaborate with school health clubs and local health facilities to run biannual nutrition assessments, deworming, and general medical check-ups for learners. These measures are reflected in the Nairobi County’s 2024/25 budget, which includes funding for school-based health promotion and regular health-message dissemination to children.
This scaling up of health checks comes amid calls for more comprehensive screening in schools. For instance, health advocates have urged authorities to routinely screen learners for tuberculosis, citing both health and equity concerns in densely populated learning institutions. Meanwhile, eye-care providers note that vision screenings are becoming more common, with many Nairobi schools partnering with optometry clinics to catch visual impairments early.
Authorities and school leaders say the regular screenings will help reduce disease burden among students, improve attendance, and support better learning outcomes. They also plan to train school health-teachers and health-promoters, in line with Kenya’s National School Health Policy, to ensure sustainability.