Kenya has eliminated sleeping sickness as a public health problem, the World Health Organisation announced on Friday.
It becomes the tenth country to reach this milestone, joining Benin, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Togo, and Uganda.
Disease Overview
Human African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is a vector-borne disease endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Without treatment, it is generally fatal, as the parasite invades multiple organs, including the brain.
The disease is transmitted through the bites of tsetse flies carrying the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Rural communities reliant on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, or hunting face the highest exposure risk.
Kenya’s Elimination Journey
“The first cases in Kenya were detected in the early 20th century,” notes Dr Patrick Amoth, Director General of Health at Kenya’s Ministry of Health. Since then, consistent control activities have led to no indigenous cases for over a decade.
The last autochthonous case occurred in 2009, followed by two exported cases from Masai Mara in 2012. Kenya then established 12 sentinel sites across six historically endemic counties, equipping them with diagnostic tools and training clinical staff on the most sensitive tests for r-HAT.
Validation and Leadership
“I congratulate the government and people of Kenya on this landmark achievement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This is another step towards making Africa free of neglected tropical diseases.”
“This validation marks a major public health milestone for Kenya,” said Dr Aden Duale, Cabinet Secretary for Health. “The achievement will not only protect our people but also pave the way for renewed economic growth and prosperity.”
Sustaining Vigilance
Supported by WHO and partners, including FIND, Kenya will implement a post-validation surveillance plan to detect any resurgence. WHO will continue monitoring previously affected areas and maintain a medicine stockpile, donated by Bayer AG and Sanofi, for rapid treatment of future cases.
“This success was made possible by the Ministry of Health’s leadership, the dedication of health workers in at-risk areas and the support from key partners,” said Dr Abdourahmane Diallo, WHO Representative to Kenya.
Global Progress on Neglected Tropical Diseases
A total of 57 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. Of these, 10, including Kenya, have successfully eliminated sleeping sickness as a public health problem. This follows Kenya’s certification as Guinea worm–free in 2018.
