NAIROBI, Kenya — Disease experts have raised fresh alarm over the rapid spread of Kala-Azar in Kenya, warning that the neglected tropical disease is expanding beyond traditionally mapped endemic zones and now threatens nearly 60 percent of the country’s landmass.
Researchers from the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) say the parasitic disease has been reported in at least 12 counties, including areas previously not classified as high-risk.
The expansion comes amid prolonged drought conditions that have worsened malnutrition and heightened vulnerability among affected communities.
Kala-Azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is transmitted by sandflies and can be fatal if untreated.
Health experts say malnourished individuals — particularly children — face significantly higher risks of severe infection and death.
Dr. Daniel Masiga, an infectious diseases biologist at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), said limited access to diagnostics and treatment remains a major challenge.
“We have upsurges now and then. I think some of the more pressing challenges are just access to diagnostics and treatment. Case fatality rate, if the patient is not treated, is 95pc,” Dr. Masiga said.
The warning comes as Kenya also grapples with growing resistance to anti-malarial drugs. Researchers report that mutated malaria parasites are being detected in patients even after completing treatment regimens.
Prof Isabella Oyier, a malaria researcher, said some patients are failing to clear parasites within the standard three-day treatment window — a key indicator of drug effectiveness.
“We’re finding that any patient who comes with the Malaria parasite and it has that mutation, they’re not clearing their parasites by the required day three,” Prof Oyier said.
“The regimen takes three days, and usually when it’s working well, by day three everyone clears the parasites to zero. So it means there’s some loss of efficacy in our anti-malarial treatment.”
According to public health data, Kenya has made limited progress in reducing malaria mortality since 2015, particularly in endemic regions around Lake Victoria and along the Coast.
The convergence of Kala-Azar expansion, drug-resistant malaria strains, and prolonged drought presents a complex health emergency.
Article 43 of the Constitution guarantees every person the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Public health experts argue that sustained investment in disease surveillance, access to diagnostics, vector control, and nutrition support is critical to fulfilling that obligation.
The World Health Organization classifies Kala-Azar as one of the most neglected tropical diseases, disproportionately affecting poor and marginalized communities. Without timely treatment, the disease can cause organ failure and death.
Scientists are now urging the national and county governments to strengthen early detection systems, scale up treatment access, and invest in research to counter emerging drug resistance.
As climate change intensifies drought cycles and disrupts traditional disease patterns, experts warn that Kenya’s public health response must evolve rapidly to prevent further loss of life.