By: Kariuki Monroe
Kenya on Monday joined the global community in marking World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, an annual event aimed at raising awareness about TB, one of the world’s deadliest infectious diseases.
The Ministry of Health emphasized its commitment to combating TB under this year’s theme, “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” which calls for urgency, accountability, and hope in the fight against this preventable and curable disease.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health highlighted that TB remains a significant public health challenge in Kenya, ranking as the fourth leading cause of death in the country.
Despite progress in reducing TB incidence and deaths over the years, Kenya is still among the 30 high-burden countries globally for TB, multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), and TB/HIV co-infections.
The Ministry reiterated its focus on early detection, prevention, and treatment as critical strategies to combat the disease. It called on all stakeholders, including county governments, healthcare providers, and development partners, to strengthen collaboration in addressing gaps in service delivery.
“Tuberculosis continues to claim thousands of lives annually in Kenya despite being preventable and curable. We must work together to eliminate stigma surrounding TB and ensure timely diagnosis and treatment for all,” the statement read.
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Kenya has made significant strides in the fight against TB, including providing free treatment in public health facilities and adopting advanced diagnostic tools such as stool-based testing for children.
However, challenges such as rising drug-resistant TB cases and declining global health funding threaten to reverse these gains.
The Ministry also emphasized its efforts to empower vulnerable populations by offering social protection programs for drug-resistant TB patients through NHIF enrollment and monthly allowances to reduce financial barriers to care.
Globally, TB remains the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, killing over 1 million people annually.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that abrupt cuts in global health funding could disrupt access to essential services for prevention, screening, and treatment—putting millions at risk.
