Kenya participated in World Malaria Day 2026 celebrations on Saturday, hosting the national event in Kirinyaga County with the theme ‘Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.’ Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, led the occasion, noting significant progress in the nation’s battle against malaria during the last ten years.
Malaria prevalence decreased from 8 percent in 2015 to 6 percent in 2025, with incidence rates declining by 31 percent over just the past three years. The PS credited these advances to continuous governmental measures, including the deployment of 14.6 million durable insecticide-treated nets, indoor spraying services covering 95 percent of targeted regions, and enhanced community-level testing and care.
She additionally emphasized the government’s implementation of Multi-First-Line Therapy (MFT) as a forward-looking strategy to prevent medication resistance and maintain the efficacy of current treatment options.
The Principal Secretary stressed the essential function of county authorities in advancing the elimination program, stating that malaria control initiatives must originate at the county administrative level, where regional units manage execution, responsibility, and distribution of resources. Kirinyaga County Deputy Governor David Githanda, County Commissioner Hussein Alasow, and other high-ranking officials were present at the commemoration.