Agnes Musana from Kajiado West still shudders as she recalls the frightening days when her 10-year-old niece fought for her dear life, unsure of what was ailing her.
She recounts how the young girl’s body was weakened by illness as uncertainty gripped the entire family. The Grade Two pupil, though frail, has since recovered from visceral leishmaniasis (VL), the most severe and potentially fatal form of kala-azar.
Kala-azar is a neglected tropical disease transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, which commonly breed in anthills around homes and grazing areas. The parasite attacks the spleen, liver and bone marrow, leading to prolonged fever, drastic weight loss, anaemia and a swollen stomach.
In Kajiado County, the disease mostly affects children, especially those who spend long hours playing outdoors.
The illness often creeps in quietly. Early symptoms include loss of appetite and persistent fever, progressing to severe anaemia, extreme weakness, and a visibly swollen abdomen. Without timely diagnosis and treatment, visceral leishmaniasis can be deadly.
The impact on children in the area is visible with their stomachs marked with traditional incisions, a desperate cultural practice that community members have adopted after decades of battling the disease.
Although many NTDs are preventable, they can be fatal if not treated. A case in point is the biggest kala-azar outbreak reported last year in Wajir and Mandera counties, where a number of people, especially children under the age of five, died. Turkana County has also reported an influx of cases.
The disease thrives in malnourished patients, significantly worsening survival odds.
Elimination efforts
Kenya already has a five-year master plan (2023-2027) outlining a multi-sectoral, collaborative effort to eliminate NTDs.
Central to the efforts are the Community Health Promoters (CHPs) who have emerged as catalysts of positive change in their communities.
They have been trained to identify NTD symptoms and promote preventive behaviours like regular handwashing. Equipped with this knowledge, they are actively engaging community members, leveraging community dialogues, barazas (community meetings), and door-to-door visits to educate about NTDs and hygiene practices.
Despite these efforts, Kenya is currently experiencing an upsurge of Kala-azar cases in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL). Affected counties include Marsabit, Garissa, Kitui, Baringo, West Pokot, Mandera, Wajir, Tharaka Nithi, and Isiolo.
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