urkana Intensifies Malaria Fight After Being Declared High-Burden County
Lodwar, Kenya — March 28, 2025
Turkana County has intensified its malaria control efforts after being officially designated a high-burden malaria region under the 2023–2027 Kenya Malaria Strategy.
The new status, issued by the National Malaria Control Programme, positions Turkana among the regions requiring targeted interventions to combat the disease and monitor progress toward a malaria-free Kenya.
According to the Kenya Health Information System, Turkana’s malaria prevalence stands at 39%, far above the national average of 6%, with spikes recorded during rainy seasons. Health officials attribute the high burden to challenges unique to Turkana, including cross-border movement by pastoralist communities, refugee concentrations in Kakuma and Kalobeyei, and rapid urbanisation.
County Executive for Health and Sanitation Dr. Epem Esekon said the declaration enables Turkana to receive enhanced support, including Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) for children.
Turkana is now positioned to benefit more from initiatives such as SMC, which have already shown promising results, Dr. Esekon said.
The county implemented Kenya’s first SMC pilot in Turkana Central from June to October 2024, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services, targeting children aged 3–59 months. The pilot led to a 70% reduction in infection rates. Another SMC cycle will run from June to October 2025.
Health authorities are also working closely with the National Malaria Control Programme and KEMRI, which carry out surveillance every three months. KEMRI Kisumu will soon launch vector studies to analyse mosquito species and behaviour, following the 2022 discovery of Anopheles stephensi—an invasive, insecticide-resistant mosquito thriving in urban settings.
Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health Janerose Tioko noted that malaria accounts for 30% of all reported cases among children and adults in Turkana. She said continued surveillance and targeted interventions remain crucial.
Turkana has already benefited from the national Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets distribution campaign of September 2024, which reached more than 160,000 households across 22 high-burden counties.
The county is also working with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology on a two-year research project in Katilu Ward using Microsporidia-MB, a naturally inherited microbe that blocks malaria transmission in mosquitoes.
Dr. Esekon reaffirmed the county’s commitment to accurate data collection, community engagement, and integrated health services to improve malaria outcomes and reduce deaths.
Through proactive and evidence-based actions, we aim to significantly cut malaria cases and enhance the health of our communities, he said.