The Ministry of Health has launched investigations into four mysterious deaths reported in Mombasa County.
Speaking on Monday during a live appearance on Kameme TV’s Rikiratha show, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the Ministry had already dispatched surveillance teams to the coast as part of a fact-finding mission. Laboratory tests have also commenced to determine the cause of the sudden deaths.
“We don’t want to cause panic, but we’re handling this matter with the seriousness it deserves. Let’s give the experts space to work and avoid speculation,” she urged.
The PS Muthoni also revealed that the Ministry had increased Mpox surveillance efforts, particularly at key entry points across the country. She said this was part of large public health cautions aimed to ensure Kenya is ready to respond quickly in case of any emerging threat.
She also shared great positive news from the just-concluded national vaccination drive stating that over 16 million children were successfully immunized against typhoid, while 5.18 million received the measles-rubella jab. That put to national coverage of 84% and 81% respectively.
She thanked everyone who supported the 10-day campaign, which also reached thousands of children that had never received any vaccines before.
“We’re proud of this achievement, but the work isn’t over. Routine immunization must remain a priority for all of us,” she said.
On healthcare reforms, Muthoni touched on the ongoing rollout of the new Social Health Authority (SHA), which is set to replace the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). She described SHA as a central pillar in the Universal Health Coverage plan, which the government is keen to fast-track.
She also pointed to digitization and the ongoing verification of UHC workers as key steps in strengthening service delivery and accountability within the health system.
