Kenya has unveiled a new Children’s Health and Nutrition Policy aimed at tackling the persistent challenge of malnutrition, which continues to affect thousands of children across the country. Announced by the Ministry of Health during a national forum in Nairobi, the policy sets out a coordinated plan to reduce stunting, improve access to nutritious foods, and strengthen health services for children under five. Officials described the policy as a critical turning point in safeguarding child wellbeing, noting that malnutrition remains one of the leading contributors to illness and poor development outcomes nationwide.
According to the ministry, the policy focuses on several key areas: improving maternal nutrition, expanding access to fortified foods, scaling up school feeding programmes, and strengthening early detection and treatment of malnutrition in health facilities. The rollout comes at a time when climate-related shocks, rising food prices, and regional droughts have made nutritious diets increasingly difficult for households to afford. Health experts at the launch highlighted gaps in existing interventions, emphasizing the need for stronger county-level coordination, better funding, and community-led nutrition education to ensure the policy makes meaningful impact. Several county governors who attended the event pledged to align their local programmes with the national strategy.
Reactions from child welfare organisations and health advocates have been largely positive, with many calling the policy long overdue. However, they cautioned that its success will depend on consistent financing, timely data collection, and robust monitoring systems to track progress. Parents and community health volunteers expressed hope that the measures will reduce cases of severe acute malnutrition that have burdened families, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. As implementation begins, the Ministry of Health says it will work closely with development partners and county governments to ensure the policy delivers long-term improvements and gives every Kenyan child a healthier start in life.