The Ministry of Health (MoH) has reported that one individual has died due to Mpox, with a total of 13 confirmed cases since the virus was first identified in the country. On Monday, Health Director General Patrick Amoth announced that the patient had underlying health issues that contributed to their passing.
“Out of the confirmed cases, eight individuals have recovered and returned home, while four remain hospitalized,” Amoth stated. These cases were detected from 236 laboratory samples across ten counties.
Amoth made these remarks in Nairobi during an event where the Ministry received a donation of 15.2 million tablets of medicines for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) from the World Health Organization (WHO), valued at $1.6 million (approximately Ksh. 213 million).
Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Debra Barasa praised this initiative, asserting that the donation will significantly aid in combating the spread of NTDs in Kenya. She explained that the tablets will target three endemic tropical diseases: Lymphatic filariasis, Soil-transmitted helminths, and Schistosomiasis, all of which the government aims to eliminate by 2027.
CS Barasa mentioned that the distribution of these drugs will occur during the next mass drug administration, focusing on 15 counties within the Coastal region, Lake Victoria Basin, and Western Region, where infection rates are notably high. “I want to stress the vital role of community health workers in successfully implementing this campaign in affected areas,” she added.
She also instructed the teams to register all household members they visit for the Social Health Insurance Fund. This initiative is intended to help them access affordable healthcare services as part of the Universal Health Program.