How Kenya fought for decades to eliminate a brain-attacking killer
Kenya has successfully eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) as a public health concern.
This achievement follows years of dedicated surveillance and control measures against the disease.
Kenya is now the 10th country globally to attain this milestone and has previously eradicated Guinea worm disease.
This makes Kenya the 10th country in the world to attain this milestone, and the second neglected tropical disease (NTD) it has eradicated, following Guinea worm disease in 2018.
'I congratulate the government and people of Kenya on this landmark achievement,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
'Kenya joins the growing ranks of countries freeing their populations of human African trypanosomiasis. This is another step towards making Africa free of neglected tropical diseases'.
HAT is a vector-borne parasite illness caused by Trypanosoma brucei and spread to humans via infected tsetse flies.
The illness is unique to Africa and exists in two forms: gambiense and rhodesiense.
Kenya's bout with the sleeping sickness
In Kenya, only the Rhodesiense strain (r-HAT) is found.
Found in eastern and southern Africa, r-HAT develops fast, attacking multiple organs, including the brain, and can be fatal within weeks if left untreated.
The first incidents in Kenya were documented in the early twentieth century. Since then, the nation has maintained a consistent control strategy.
There have been no indigenous instances in almost a decade, with the most recent locally transmitted case occurring in 2009.
The final two exported instances, both from the Masai Mara National Reserve, were identified in 2012.
Kenya's eradication status follows years of improved disease surveillance in formerly impacted areas.
'This validation marks a major public health milestone for Kenya, as we celebrate the elimination of a deadly disease in our country. The achievement will not only protect our people but also pave the way for renewed economic growth and prosperity,' said Dr Aden Duale, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Health.
'This follows many years of dedication, hard work, and collaboration'.
Twelve health institutions in six historically endemic counties were selected as sentinel sites, with modern diagnostic technologies and experienced medical workers to perform the most sensitive and feasible r-HAT tests.
In addition to human surveillance, Kenya has invested in monitoring and managing tsetse flies and animal trypanosomiasis, all of which are crucial to preventing re-emergence.
These efforts, aided by national veterinary health authorities and the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC), have been critical in sustaining the disease-free status.
WHO's approval is an important public health success for Kenya, recognizing its long-term efforts to eradicate a disease that formerly presented a danger to rural people reliant on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, and hunting.
With this success, Kenya joins a growing list of African countries that have demonstrated that focused, well-coordinated health efforts can eradicate even the most tenacious tropical illnesses.
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