Since late February 2025, six counties in Kenya have been facing a cholera outbreak. Active transmission is occurring in four counties: Kisumu, Mombasa, Nairobi and Turkana.

Cholera Outbreak in Kenya

The first cholera outbreak in Kenya started in 1971, with current challenges such as displacement and poor infrastructure in rural and flood-affected areas intensifying the issue. Cholera outbreaks mainly stem from two significant factors: changes in climate and inadequate access to sanitation and clean water.

Changing climatic conditions have been connected to cholera outbreaks, including rainfall variations, temperature and extreme weather events. Some Kenyans living in areas impacted by severe weather, such as floods or drought, experience displacement, leaving many without access to clean water and sanitation. Due to the complexity of these cross-border influences, it is increasingly challenging to manage cholera outbreaks.

Cholera remains a serious concern, with the most recent long-term outbreak in Kenya lasting from October 2022 to September 2024. During this period, more than 12,000 cases were reported, resulting in more than 200 deaths. With the fatality rate exceeding the global expectation of 1%, coordinated actions are essential to preventing the spread of cholera and to reducing the severity of future outbreaks.

Solution

To combat the cholera outbreak in Kenya, volunteers at the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) are leading emergency response efforts addressing flooding. Flood response teams focus on search and rescue operations and providing relief to those affected.

In addition, the KRCS partnered with the Ministry of Health to engage community members in tackling the issue. Initiatives include programs that improve knowledge and access, such as Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) deployed rapid response teams to three counties in Kenya to support local health care workers. Their work includes managing active cases through contact tracing, laboratory diagnosis and water testing. WHO also supplies cholera kits to affected areas, containing testing materials, medical equipment and essential medications. In Nairobi County alone, these kits treated an estimated 1,100 mild and severe cases.

To reduce the burden on health officials ahead of potential future outbreaks, the WHO and the Ministry of Health in 2024 trained and deployed 120 workers to high-risk counties, equipping them with the tools to treat cholera cases.

Conclusion

With recent history showing prolonged outbreaks and devastating weather events, the ongoing cholera outbreak in Kenya highlights the need for urgent and sustained action. Displacement, lack of access to sanitation and clean water, along with insufficient infrastructure, continue to drive the spread of cholera, particularly in rural and underserved areas. However, coordinated efforts from organizations like the KRCS and the WHO offer hope.

Kenya is taking meaningful steps toward managing this crisis through emergency response and long-term efforts. These include community engagement, training health workers and improving water and sanitation systems. Continued support and investment can help Kenya and surrounding countries break the cycle of recurring outbreaks to build resilience against future public health threats.

– Grace Johnson

Grace is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons