Turkana declares Kala-azar emergency amid record surge in deadly disease
Turkana has recorded 2,457 cumulative cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) since 2020.
The Turkana County Government has officially declared a Kala-azar emergency, following an alarming surge in infections of the deadly parasitic disease.
The move comes as 2025 registers the highest annual caseload on record, with health authorities warning of a full-scale outbreak and calling for immediate multi-agency intervention.
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According to a statement issued by Dr Epem Joseph Esekon, the County Executive Committee Member for Health, Turkana has recorded 2,457 cumulative cases of Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) since 2020.
This year alone has seen 521 confirmed cases, with a sharp escalation between June 2024 and August 2025, during which 850 cases were reported.
"This declaration is not made lightly but is driven by the urgent need to protect lives," said Dr Esekon. "We must act now to avoid a full-blown crisis."
Kala-azar is the second-deadliest parasitic disease globally. Transmitted through the bite of infected sandflies, it is fatal within two years if left untreated.
Kenya ranks among the top 10 countries accounting for over 90 per cent of the world's Kala-azar burden, with Turkana repeatedly flagged as a national hotspot.
The outbreak reached its peak in June 2025, when the county recorded 125 new cases in a single month—the highest monthly total in recent history. Although numbers began declining by August, health officials warn that the danger is far from over.
"We are not out of the woods yet. The risk of resurgence remains high if interventions are not prioritised and sustained," cautioned Dr Esekon.
In response to the escalating crisis, the county's Department of Health Services and Sanitation has rolled out a strategic four-pillar emergency framework aimed at curbing transmission and saving lives: Early case detection and treatment, strengthening the medical supply chain, intensified vector control (environmental clean-up and insecticide use) and community sensitisation to encourage prevention and early treatment
The plan emphasises community involvement, multi-agency collaboration, and a rapid scale-up of resources.
Dr Esekon called on all stakeholders—government agencies, humanitarian organisations, community health workers, and donors—to rally behind the county's response efforts.
"We cannot respond to this emergency in isolation. Your support is vital in addressing this urgent public health threat," he urged.
Kala-azar continues to pose a significant health threat across arid and semi-arid regions of Kenya, particularly where limited healthcare access persists. Experts have long warned that climate change, displacement, and lack of infrastructure could exacerbate the spread of the disease.
With this emergency declaration, Turkana becomes one of the first counties to formally escalate Kala-azar to crisis level in recent years—setting the stage for what could become a model for coordinated response across other affected regions.
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