Push for concerted efforts as Kenya gears to mark World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day
These diseases have received relatively less funding or attention from the national government and medical and donor communities despite the large numbers of people affected.

Most of the time when a person is ill, it is advisable to go to the hospital and seek professional expertise.
However, that is not the case for everyone; some people take over the counter medication which relieves symptoms for a while and then they go about their business as always. For some ailments, over the counter may just be a ticket to long term unresolved health problems. These are the neglected tropical diseases that continue to hit different parts of the country.
In West Pokot County, Kala–azar continues to cause silent havoc among families in the dry pastoral region. The need for the community to be educated on the same is dire.
Luckily for the people of Kacheliba sub-county, the establishment of Kala-azar Treatment and Research Centre has seen them access treatment.
Last year, they benefited from a free medical camp, courtesy of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), a research organisation, in partnership with Rotary International and the West Pokot County Government. The camp focused on different ailments, including Kala-azar and Mycetoma.
Lonyang Lemakuk, a resident, was among the victims of the disease which infected his whole family. The children could not go to school and his wife could not go out in public because of the sickness. He however, rushed them to the hospital for treatment.
Another father, George Lokiris, noticed the son’s legs were swelling abnormally while in school. He was taken to hospital and in two weeks he was diagnosed with Kala-Azar. He was immediately admitted and put on treatment. The young boy missed out on an entire school year due to this life threatening disease.
According to a report from the ministry of Health, more than 600 people from West Pokot county suffer from Visceral Leishmaniasis (Kala-azar) disease every year.
With symptoms similar to those of malaria, the locals end up mistaking Kala-azar for malaria; a mistake that gives the disease an opportunity to grow and continue to be harmful. The disease is characterized by signs and symptoms of headache, fever, vomiting, lack of appetite, general body weakness and looks like malaria
One contracts the disease when bitten by an infected female sand fly carrying parasites.
Termed the second deadliest parasitic killer after malaria, Kala-azar has been described as a ‘disease of poverty’ that is associated with malnutrition, population displacements and conflicts and environmental changes.
Every January 30th is World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day. This year’s theme or highlight is on making bold, sustainable investments to free the estimated 1.5 billion people, in the world’s most vulnerable communities, from a vicious cycle of disease and poverty. Thus, the call on everybody to unite, act and eliminate neglected tropical diseases.
The Centre for Global Health Research(CGHR) hosts the Neglected Tropical Diseases Unit, which addresses the critical need to align research programmes with national and current global agenda. The diseases range from Trypanosomal parasites (Leishmaniasis, Human African Trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease /American trypanosomiasis); Helminth parasites (Schistosomiasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, Onchocerciasis, Dracunculiasis, Echinococcosis, Taeniasis/Cysticercosis, Ascariasis, Trichuriasis, Hookworm, Strongyloidiasis); Bacterial infections (Leprosy, Buruli ulcer, Noma, Trachoma, Cholera, Yaws) and Viral infections (Yellow fever, Dengue fever, Japanese Encephalitis, Rabies).
These diseases have contributed to an ongoing cycle of poverty and stigma which has rendered some people jobless, while others cannot fully participate in functions in the community. They have also received relatively less funding or attention from the national government and medical and donor communities despite the large numbers of people affected. Misinformation has not made things any better, considering some people are still against going to hospitals for some ailments, thus perpetuating the cycle of the disease.
The ministry of Health has, however, made progress in the journey to eliminate or eradicate these diseases. Last November, in collaboration with the END Fund and AMREF Health Africa, a series of comprehensive training sessions were conducted in Western Kenya’s Bungoma County. They were aimed at equipping trainers with the necessary skills to implement a community –wide mass drug administration campaign targeting intestinal worms and bilharzia.
Pascal Wambua, the country lead for the Kenya Malaria Youth Corps, says they employ a community-driven approach where locals take ownership, feel responsible, and actively participate in interventions. Collaborations with community gatekeepers, local authorities, and grassroots networks ensure interventions are sustainable and culturally relevant.
He says it is important to engage various stakeholders to ensure neglected tropical diseases are curbed.
In an interview with The Informer Media, Wambua says, “we do a lot, including working closely with the Ministry of Health and being actively involved in planning activities for this year’s NTD Day in Kilifi and Kitui counties.
African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) has also been instrumental in capacity building, providing expertise, and strategic advice. Partnerships with NGOs and international organizations strengthen our reach and impact.”
Wambua adds that youth inclusion has brought fresh energy and innovation, while preventive approaches such as climate action, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) projects, and community-driven initiatives have shown measurable success. The improvement of these helps in ensuring some diseases are avoided or curbed.
In terms of funding, Wambua says limited funding directly impacts the scale and sustainability of interventions. Many regions with acute needs remain underserved due to resource constraints.
Further, the young leader has made emphasis on the need to create awareness by educating people in the communities on the need to prevent these diseases and embrace interventions.
As the country prepares to commemorate World NTD, the ministry of health should break the cycle of neglect by making it clear that sustaining investment and policy commitment together with grassroot engagement is essential. NTDs are not just a matter of health. They are a matter of equity and human dignity.