By Asha Bekidusa
Kwale County has the highest malaria disease burden in the Coastal region, followed by Kilifi and Mombasa counties.
In Kwale, malaria remains a leading cause of under-five mortality and maternal morbidity, with children and pregnant women being affected mostly.
This comes as communities along Kenya’s coast are stepping up the fight against malaria amid growing concerns over climate change-driven health challenges.
Malaria is no longer just a health issue, it’s a climate justice issue,” says Eva Muthuuri, Malaria Representative of the Global Fund’s KCM and a member of the End Malaria Council and Fund.
Gathering at Kwale Baraza Park in Kwale town during World Malaria Day on 25th April 2025
Muthuri adds that their data reflects the climate-driven shift in the disease burden of malaria.
A recent spatial analysis published in Science Direct found that 11% of all malaria cases in Kenya are concentrated in coastal endemic areas, confirming the urgent need for targeted interventions.
Jasho Bomu, Chief Executive Officer of Strengthening Community Partnership and Empowerment (SCOPE), says that communities living near abandoned mining areas are at greatest risk of malaria, as the areas are easy breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
He insists on the importance of rehabilitation of mining areas as this will help curb the disease, giving an example of Kwale and Kilifi counties, where most mining happens in the Coast region, but most mine owners do not take rehabilitation seriously, posing a challenge to the surrounding communities.
Margaret Mundia, a Health Systems Specialist with the Global Fund KCM, emphasized the importance of collaboration between different stakeholders in combating malaria.
Roneek Vora, a member of the End Malaria Council and Director of Sales and Marketing at Revital Healthcare, noted that the recent suspension of U.S. foreign aid, including funding from USAID and the President’s Malaria Initiative, has created an estimated KSh 25 billion funding gap in our national malaria response. This gap poses a real danger not only to the gains made but to the very systems that sustain the efforts.
Roneek Vora, a member of the End Malaria Council and Director of Sales and Marketing at Revital Healthcare
He highlighted the importance of the private sector’s role in the country in fighting malaria by establishing local efforts among them, and manufacturing facilities to produce kits that help in fighting malaria.
“We’ve established Africa’s largest rapid diagnostic test (RDT) manufacturing facility, capable of producing 20 million kits monthly,” he quips.
At the same time, Gilbert Wangalwa, AMREF Deputy Country Director in Kenya, speaking during commemoration celebrations for World Malaria Day in Kwale, shared the importance of inter-boundary collaboration between counties and countries to achieve a free malaria country.
Gilbert Wangalwa, AMREF Deputy Country Director in Kenya
Giving examples of countries that had a political goodwill to be declared malaria-free in Africa by the World Health Organisation. Among the countries are Algeria, Cabo Verde, Lesotho, Mauritius, Morocco and Seychelles.
Wangalwa insists on the need to reimagine how data can power localized response while using technology and Artificial Intelligence so that targeted intervention can be used in malaria hotspots before
On his part, the director of primary health care, preventive and promotive health at the Ministry of Health Joe Lenai, acknowledged that the malaria incidences have dropped from 112 per 1000 in 2016 to 84 per 1000 population at the end of 2024.
Joe Lenai, director of primary health care, preventive and promotive health at the Ministry of Health
He added that this overall progress in Malaria control has contributed to the reduction of infant, child, and maternal mortality in the country.
At the same time, Kwale Deputy Governor Chirema Kombo has promised to work together with all stakeholders in the fight against Malaria.
The theme of this year 2025 is Reinvest. Reimagine. Reignite – Accelerating Progress towards a Malaria-Free Kenya”
