WHO donates mpox testing kits, medicines for neglected tropical diseases to Kenya

NAIROBI, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — The World Health Organization (WHO) and other donors on Monday donated mpox testing kits and medicines for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) worth 1.67 million U.S. dollars.
Abdourahmane Diallo, WHO representative in Kenya, said the mpox laboratory diagnostic kits and more than 15 million tablets of NTDs medicines will strengthen Kenya’s efforts to respond to the ongoing mpox outbreak.
“These resources are aimed to strengthen Kenya’s capacity for rapid and accurate diagnosis, supporting timely interventions and containment of the virus,” Diallo said during the handover in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
He said the UN health agency has also supported the training of 137 health workers and 555 airport staff while providing technical support for screening travelers for mpox at 26 points of entry.
The WHO official reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting Kenya’s goal of eliminating NTDs, including schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiases by 2030.
Deborah Barasa, cabinet secretary in the Kenyan Ministry of Health, lauded the WHO for the support which she said will address health challenges faced by vulnerable communities.
Barasa said that the introduction of the testing kits will enhance Kenya’s capacity to detect and respond to mpox cases more swiftly and effectively, ultimately saving lives and curbing the spread of the disease.
She added that Kenya requires further support to expand the capacity of the National Public Health Laboratory Services (NPHLS) to include testing for Marburg virus and other high-risk pathogens that are emerging and have been reported in neighboring countries. ■