The ministry of health has launched the tuberculosis Strategic Plan 2023/24- 2027/28 geared towards putting an end to the devastating impact of TB in the community,the launch coincides with Kenya's introduction of a community-centred Universal Health Coverage (UHC) initiative that has seen the recruitment,kitting and deployment of 100,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) who will ensure proactive household screenings and bolstering the fight against the disease.
Speaking during the launch in the ministry of health headquarters in Nairobi principal Secretary public health Mary Muriuki has reiterated the ministry commitment to ending Tuberculosis (TB)."TB remains a major public health concern not only in Kenya but across the globe, standing as a leading cause of death attributable to a single infectious agent. The havoc it wreaks on both the social and economic facets of our societies is immeasurable, with the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant strains further compounding the problem" Said the PS
According to data In the year 2022, Kenya recorded a staggering 90,841 TB cases, a
significant increase from the 77,854 cases reported in 2021. Alarming as this figure is, it represents only 68% of the estimated 133,000 TB cases that were likely to emerge that year, leaving 32% undiagnosed and untreated. The emergence of drug-resistant TB cases, totalling 756 in
the same period.
The strategic plan has been developed using a people-centred approach,reflecting a bottom-up strategy championed by the government where the health outcomes at the grassroots level
are significantly improved.Present during the launch were WHO country representative,USAID HPN director and ministry officials.
