The number of children under five years dying from malaria in Kenya has dropped by about three-fold since the introduction of the US President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) indicating a positive trend towards reducing deaths by 21 per 1,000 live births by 2030.
PMI is an initiative of the US State and strives to cut the burden of malaria in 30 countries in Africa, including Kenya, and help ease poverty. It works with partner countries to scale up proven interventions and strengthen local capacity and health systems, and also invest in research and new tools to combat malaria.
According to the PMI Report 2024, the under-five mortality rate from malaria in Kenya has fallen from 11.5 percent in 2003 to 4.1 percent in 2022. This decline was driven by reductions in high-burden, lake-endemic districts, where PMI focuses more than 70 percent of its efforts and resources.
Kenya is a priority country for PMI, with over $530 million (Sh68.53 billion) invested since 2006. “PMI is continuing to find new ways to drive toward our objectives to reduce malaria cases and deaths as outlined in PMI’s Strategy 2021-2026. We are tailoring programs to meet the needs of each country and supporting local leadership to end malaria faster.
Given what I see accomplished every day through PMI’s programs in Africa and Asia, I believe it is possible to end malaria in our lifetime. With U.S. leadership and robust global commitment, we can turn the vision of a malaria-free world into a reality,” said David Walton, US Global Malaria coordinator.
The reduction in Kenya is attributed to progress in critical areas, including ownership and access to insecticide-treated bed nets, their use for children under five, indoor residual spraying, rapid diagnostic tests, and use of artemisinin-based combination therapies.
