As a “Liguru” or Village Elder, Mr. John Omuruya is looked upon by the people of Lusheya village in Kenya as not only a leader and advisor, but also one who can solve their problems.

Approximately three-quarters of Kenya’s population is at risk of contracting malaria. In 2017, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative conducted a successful indoor residual spraying campaign in Kenya’s Lake Victoria Region, protecting more than 900,000 people from malaria.

Indoor residual spraying (IRS) is a proven and highly effective malaria control measure and is one of PMI’s key interventions.

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) allow for the quick detection of malaria parasites in a person’s blood and are becoming increasingly available for resource-poor settings where reliable microscopic diagnosis is not possible.

Residents of Lower Sagalla in Taita Taveta County participated in community awareness activities to mark World Malaria Day. The event was organized by Peace Corps volunteers at Bamako dispensary.  Ministry of Health officials organized  from the county educated residents on threats of malaria and the necessary steps towards containing them.

In preparation for and celebration of World Malaria Day 2014, Peace Corp volunteers raised community awareness on the proper use of bed nets through photo contests, murals, information booths and bed net appreciation photo displays, reaching 57,590 community members in malaria endemic areas in Kenya.

The Kenyan Government has adopted the policy of universal diagnosis before treatment for all fever cases suspected to be malaria.

The Nyalunya Dispensary in Kisumu is quiet today – about 25 patients are waiting to be served by the three health care workers on duty.  Noline Anyango, 2, and her four-year-old sister are being tested for malaria by a laboratory technician.

Malaria infection during pregnancy poses a serious health risk to both the mother and her unborn child. In Africa, malaria in pregnancy is estimated to cause up to 200,000 infant deaths annually.

During 2008, PMI protected nearly 400,000 people in the Nandi District, Rift Valley Province, in Kenya through an IRS campaign that sprayed more than 200,000 homes.