Kenya urges stronger regional cooperation as transport corridors fuel disease risks across East Africa

The Ministry of Health has called for stronger regional cooperation to tackle rising health threats along Africa’s busiest transport corridors, warning that increased mobility continues to amplify cross-border disease risks.

Speaking on Monday at the opening of the 2nd Transport Corridors & Health Conference in Nairobi, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the region must invest in coordinated surveillance systems and joint emergency responses to prevent outbreaks from spreading unchecked. He noted that transport corridors, while central to trade and economic growth, also serve as channels for the movement of infectious diseases and social vulnerabilities.

Duale cited recent emergencies—including the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Ethiopia, ongoing anthrax incidents in high-risk Kenyan counties, and recurrent cholera across East Africa—as evidence that mobility directly influences disease exposure and transmission.

“Health security is not an abstract concept; it is a daily, proactive responsibility. And mobility, while vital for trade, rapidly intensifies these risks,” he said.

Pathways for infectious diseases

He added that major transport routes such as the Northern Corridor have become “arteries of our regional economy” but also “pathways through which infectious diseases, vulnerabilities and socio-economic disparities travel.”

The CS highlighted heavy cargo activity along these routes, noting that the port of Mombasa handles more than 40 million metric tonnes annually. At the same time, the Mariakani Weighbridge records an average of 3,500 trucks each day.

Duale said corridor health challenges extend beyond infectious diseases to include non-communicable illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, as well as mental health issues affecting mobile workers. He warned that fatigue, stress and substance use among long-distance drivers remain major health and safety concerns.

“In 2024 alone, we documented 690 accidents and 802 fatalities, with many linked to fatigue, poor visibility and the pressures of long-distance travel,” he said.

Measures to strengthen surveillance

The CS outlined measures underway to strengthen surveillance under the Kenya National Public Health Institute, including enhanced intelligence systems, laboratory networks, and joint outbreak responses with neighbouring countries.

He highlighted joint Marburg preparedness activities at the Moyale One-Stop Border Post involving Kenya and Ethiopia, featuring “joint risk assessments, real-time information sharing and harmonised interventions.”

He also noted that Kenya hosts the regional genomic surveillance laboratory, which supports early detection and tracking of pathogens across East Africa.

Duale emphasised that collaboration with IGAD and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community is key to aligning emergency response plans along shared transport routes.

The CS praised the North Star Alliance for its Blue Box/Roadside Wellness Centres, describing them as effective models for delivering health services to mobile and hard-to-reach populations. He said the centres served more than 200,000 people last year, including over 80,000 truck drivers and 40,000 female sex workers, providing HIV prevention and treatment, TB and malaria screening, reproductive health care, NCD checks, and mental health support.

Other Topics To Read

• Health
• Aden Duale
• Universal Health Coverage
• IGAD
• Ministry of Health
• Road Safety
• disease surveillance
• transport corridors
• cross-border health
• Northern Corridor
• North Star Alliance
• Kenya urges stronger regional cooperation as transport corridors fuel disease risks across East Africa
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“Cumulatively, they have delivered over two million clinical and educational sessions,” he said.

Climate change effects

However, the CS noted that climate change continues to reshape disease patterns and disrupt mobility, demanding resilient health systems along key corridors. He added that Kenya’s new health financing reforms under the Social Health Authority, which has enrolled 27.6 million people, aim to ensure affordable access to essential services.

He emphasised the role of digital innovation, saying artificial intelligence, interoperable data systems, and mobile-based tools must be integrated into future corridor health strategies.

“Success requires strong partnerships—between governments, regional institutions, the private sector, researchers and communities,” he said.

Representing IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu, IGAD Head of Mission to Kenya Fatuma Adan said the conference reflected a convergence of shared responsibility to ensure that “the transport corridors linking our region function not only as routes for trade, but as corridors of health, dignity and human development.”

She said the Horn of Africa continues to grapple with conflict, climate shocks, displacement, food insecurity, and disease outbreaks, particularly in border communities where health systems remain weak.

“Transport corridors are living systems… and as mobility increases, so do shared risks,” she said.

Fatuma highlighted IGAD’s work in coordinating surveillance, strengthening pandemic preparedness, supporting HIV, TB and malaria responses in high-mobility settings, and promoting reproductive, maternal and child health in corridor communities. She added that the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre continues to issue early warnings to help governments anticipate climate-related disruptions.

The two-day conference, hosted by KEMRI in partnership with the North Star Alliance and the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority, builds on the lessons learned from the inaugural 2024 meeting.

Organisers noted that although transport corridors drive regional economies, the health threats they carry remain under-researched and often under-funded.

The 2025 edition focuses on six priorities, including strengthening intergovernmental partnerships, mapping emerging threats, aligning corridor health plans with Universal Health Coverage, and integrating technology, AI, climate adaptation, and data-driven decision-making.