The Turkana County Government today joins the rest of the world in marking World Malaria Day 2026, calling for stronger and faster action to reduce the high number of malaria cases in Turkana.
The County Executive for Health and Sanitation Services, Dr. Esekon Joseph Epem, says, “This year’s theme is ‘Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can.’ “Now We Must” is a clear reminder that we already have the tools to fight malaria—and we must act now.
The Director of Preventive and Promotive Health, Daniel Esimit, highlighted that recent data shows malaria remains a serious public health concern in the county.
“In the last month alone, 48,430 people tested positive, with 611 cases treated at the community level,” Esimit said.
Dr. Epem explained that the infection rate is also high at 50.1%, meaning about half of those tested are positive, a sign that transmission is still very high.
According to David Ekai, the County Malaria Coordinator, in the past year, the county has recorded over 592,000 malaria cases, with more than 20,000 treated by Community Health Promoters.
“Pregnant women remain at risk, with 416 cases reported last month and over 11,000 cases in the past year,” he added.
Reports indicate that the high number of cases is driven by factors such as rains and flooding that create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, long distances to health facilities, and challenges in reaching nomadic communities.
The County Government has put in place strategies to address the situation, including increased use of mosquito nets, early testing and treatment, preventive care for pregnant women, and scaling up Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) for children.
Residents are encouraged to take simple steps to protect themselves and their families, including sleeping under treated mosquito nets and seeking early treatment when unwell.
Since Turkana is categorised as a high-burden county, the County Government calls for continued collaboration from the national government, development partners, and all stakeholders to strengthen the fight against disease.
The County Government further recognises the contribution of key partners supporting malaria interventions, including the National Malaria Control Programme, Catholic Relief Services, International Rescue Committee, UNHCR, and Kenya Red Cross Society, among others.
By Peter Gitonga
