Malaria, spread by Anopheles mosquitoes, is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. In Kenya, malaria remains a major health challenge, particularly for children under the age of five years. With over 5 million cases reported annually, climate change is expected to exacerbate the situation by enabling the disease to spread to new areas.
A new study published in the International Journal of Health Geographics by researchers at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) offers key insights into how climatic factors like rainfall and temperature, combined with socio-economic changes such as urbanization and malaria control interventions, are affecting the spread of malaria in Kenya. "By employing advanced geostatistical models based on national malaria surveys conducted between 2015 and 2020, we found that despite a decline in malaria overall, there was a significant rise in malaria risk in some regions, particularly in northern Kenya," said Bryan Nyawanda, scientific collaborator at Swiss TPH. "Our findings show that public health measures must adapt swiftly to combat malaria amidst changing environmental conditions .
" Malaria trends and climatic factors The study found that between 2015 and 2020, Kenya saw a promising decline in overall malaria prevalence, falling from 8% to 6%, particularly among children. There was a 31% reduction in children under the age of five years, and a 26% reduction in children aged.