Kenya is making big strides in the battle against tuberculosis (TB). Over the past few years, cases of the disease have dropped by 41% edging closer to the government’s 2025 goal of a 50% reduction. Deaths linked to TB have also fallen by 66%, another sign of progress toward the 75% target.
In 2024, health workers reported nearly 97,000 TB cases out of an estimated 124,000. This pushed treatment coverage to 77%, up from 69% the year before.
But Kenya isn’t stopping there, it is now banking on novel technology to speed up prevention, testing, and treatment.
Diagnosis equipment like AI-driven X-rays are helping doctors detect TB more quickly and accurately.
A digital app known as Tibu Lite is allowing real-time patient tracking and community-level screening, while shorter, modern therapies are making treatment easier for patients.
And to make TB services even more accessible, the government has included them in primary health care and the new Social Health Insurance program.
Nevertheless, Kenya is appealing to the international community to come in and co-invest in these innovations, asserting that eliminating TB will take a concerted effort.
Speaking at a side event during TICAD 9, Principal Secretary for Public Health Mary Muthoni praised the progress so far but expressed that there is still much to be done.
She called on international partners to back Kenya’s efforts with resources, technology, and approaches that put equity at the center.
“This is not just Kenya’s fight,” she emphasized. “With the right investments and innovations, we can end TB within our lifetime.”
