Kenya Eliminates Sleeping Sickness: A Major NTD Milestone Through Expert Surveillance And Community Action

A Century-Long Battle Comes To Fruition

Since the early 20th century, Kenya has grappled with sleeping sickness. The last locally transmitted case occurred in 2009, while the final two exported cases—traced to Masai Mara—were detected in 2012.

WHO Validation Confirms Historic Milestone

On August 8, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) validated that Kenya had eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, as a public health problem—making Kenya the tenth country to reach this milestone and the second disease eliminated after Guinea worm disease in 2018.

Intensified Surveillance: The Game-Changer

Kenya introduced robust surveillance measures in historically endemic regions, establishing 12 health facilities across six counties as sentinel sites. These centres were equipped with advanced diagnostic tools and staffed by trained personnel skilled in the most sensitive testing protocols for the Rhodesiense form of HAT.

Community Awareness And Outreach In The Frontline

Supported by global partners such as FIND, Kenya conducted community sensitisation campaigns, ensuring even those in remote areas understood symptoms and pathways to testing. Mapping of endemic regions, diagnostic upgrades, and health worker retraining were part of this concentrated effort.

A Network Of Partnerships Anchors Success

Multi-sector collaboration was crucial—national and county governments, the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC), research institutions, WHO, FIND, and pharmaceutical donors (Bayer, Sanofi) all played significant roles in strengthening access, surveillance, and treatment.

Protecting The Future: Post-Validation Strategy

With elimination certified, Kenya is moving into a phase of post-validation surveillance, aligning with WHO guidelines. This includes continued disease monitoring, maintaining medicine stocks for rapid response, and coordination to prevent resurgence or reintroduction.