Kenya Triumphs Over Sleeping Sickness, Joins Global Leaders in Disease Elimination

Kenya has been officially recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), commonly known as sleeping sickness, as a public health problem. This makes the country the tenth in the world to reach this milestone. It is also the second neglected tropical disease (NTD) that Kenya has eliminated, following the certification of the country as free of Guinea worm disease in 2018.

HAT is a parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma brucei and transmitted by tsetse flies. It poses the highest risk to rural communities dependent on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry or hunting. There are two forms of the disease: gambiense, found in West and Central Africa, and rhodesiense, present in East and Southern Africa. Kenya has only recorded the rhodesiense form, which progresses quickly and is fatal within weeks without treatment.

The disease has a long history in Kenya, with cases first recorded in the early 20th century. The last locally acquired case was detected in 2009, while the last two cases involving international travellers infected in the Masai Mara National Reserve were reported in 2012. Over the past decade, Kenya has recorded no indigenous cases, a testament to decades of sustained control and prevention efforts.

Kenya’s Ministry of Health, working in collaboration with national and county governments, research institutions and development partners, has invested heavily in surveillance and control measures. Twelve health facilities in six historically endemic counties now serve as sentinel sites, equipped with diagnostic tools and staffed by trained clinical personnel capable of identifying the disease using sensitive and practical tests. The Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council (KENTTEC) also continues to monitor tsetse fly populations and animal trypanosomiasis to prevent re-emergence.

Dr Aden Duale, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, described the validation as a landmark achievement that would safeguard the health of citizens and contribute to economic growth. Dr Patrick Amoth, Director General for Health, noted that Kenya will maintain surveillance and quality of care in line with WHO recommendations to prevent resurgence.

The elimination process was supported by WHO and partners, including the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), Bayer AG and Sanofi. The Ministry of Health will now implement a post-validation surveillance plan to detect and respond quickly to any reintroduction of the disease.

Globally, 57 countries have eliminated at least one NTD. The nine other countries that have eliminated sleeping sickness as a public health problem are Benin, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised Kenya’s achievement as a significant step towards a continent free from neglected tropical diseases.

Kenya’s success reflects decades of dedication from health workers, researchers, communities and development partners. It stands as an example of what can be achieved through sustained effort, strong leadership and global cooperation.

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