Kenya marks World Malaria Day with significant progress in the fight against the disease 

Kirinyaga Saturday April 25,202, Kenya has today joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Malaria Day 2026 in Kirinyaga County, reaffirming the government’s commitment to the global goal of ending malaria under the theme “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.”

Presiding over the commemoration, the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni noted that Kenya has made significant progress in reducing the malaria burden over the past decade, with prevalence declining from 8 percent in 2015 to 6 percent in 2025 and a 31 percent reduction in incidence recorded in the last three years.

She attributed the gains to sustained interventions including the distribution of 14.6 million long-lasting insecticidal nets, expanded indoor residual spraying coverage reaching 95 percent in targeted areas, improved case management through community-based diagnosis and treatment.

The PS noted that the government has taken a proactive step through the adoption of Multi-First-Line Therapy (MFT) to safeguard treatment effectiveness and stay ahead of resistance trends.

She stressed that malaria elimination efforts must be anchored at the county level, with counties acting as the primary drivers of implementation, accountability and resource allocation

The event was attended by Kirinyaga County Deputy Governor David Githanda, County Commissioner, Hussein Alasow and other senior officials.