Kenya’s Ministry of Health declared an Mpox outbreak on 31st July 2024 after the first confirmed case of a truck driver was reported and isolated in Taita-Taveta County.
As of 12th December 2024, Kenya had recorded 28 confirmed Mpox cases across 12 counties, with 18 recoveries (64.3%), 9 admissions (32.1%), and one death, resulting in a case fatality rate of 3.6%.
In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Preparedness Program, conducted an Intra-Action Review (IAR) to assess the country’s capacity to manage the outbreak and strengthen operational readiness.
The review brought together 120 participants, including 60 health experts such as disease surveillance coordinators, clinicians, emergency operation managers, vaccination logisticians, and risk communication specialists.
Representatives from 13 counties, including Busia, Bungoma, Nakuru, Kericho, Uasin Gishu, Taita-Taveta, Machakos, Makueni, Kilifi, Kajiado, Kiambu, Nairobi, and Mombasa, were in attendance.
The IAR collectively assessed existing response activities and capacities while identifying milestones, lessons learned, and challenges across all response pillars at both the national and county levels.
Seven critical pillars were reviewed: surveillance and case investigation, points of entry and rapid response training, coordination and monitoring, risk communication and community engagement, case management and psychosocial support, water and sanitation and laboratory systems.
Gaps were identified, and best practices were documented for institutionalization among outbreak counties. This culminated in a comprehensive action plan detailing key activities, responsibilities, and timelines to guide response efforts.
Speaking during the review, Dr. Daniel Langat, the Head of the Division of Disease Surveillance and Response, highlighted the need for a more coordinated approach to managing the Mpox outbreak.
He stressed the importance of enhancing communication, strengthening surveillance and diagnostics, and improving case management mechanisms to ensure effective response.
Over the next six months, 35 prioritized actions will be implemented to curb the spread of Mpox.
These include integrated Mpox training for health workers, harmonization of surveillance tools, deployment of rapid response teams, operationalization of county public health emergency funds, and establishment of isolation centres and case management units.
Additionally, measures such as prepositioning laboratory supplies, improving cross-border coordination, community advocacy and sensitization, and deploying vaccines to high-risk populations will be prioritized to contain the outbreak.
Dr. Grace Ikahu, Director of Public Health and Sanitation, emphasized the importance of building capacity among healthcare workers to detect and respond rapidly to Mpox cases.
She called for integrated approaches to manage Mpox alongside other diseases like HIV while urging greater resource mobilization through partnerships.
She underscored the need for community engagement and advocacy, including integrating Mpox education into school health programs to widen community protection.
Mombasa County Disease Surveillance Coordinator, Nasorro Mwanyalu, noted that the review was timely, adding that it would improve coordination among counties, enhance contact tracing, case management and optimize sample collection for faster laboratory diagnoses.
The Ministry of Health, WHO, and health partners including US CDC, UNICEF, Kenya Red Cross, MSF, Africa CDC, AFENET, FELTP, FAO, AMREF and KEMRI supported the successful implementation of the IAR.
The initiative was made possible through financial support from USAID Kenya, underscoring the collaborative effort to bolster Mpox response across the country.
With the action plan in place, Kenya is focused on enhancing its readiness, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring swift response mechanisms to contain the outbreak and protect public health.
The country’s approach aims to interrupt community transmission while empowering frontline healthcare workers and engaging communities to prevent further spread of the disease.
