By Michelle Ndaga
Kenya has launched new Rift Valley Fever (RVF) Contingency Plan and Human Brucellosis Testing Guidelines aimed at strengthening national preparedness, improving early detection, and enhancing coordinated responses to zoonotic diseases under the One Health approach.
The initiative, unveiled by the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, marks a major milestone in protecting communities particularly those in pastoralist and high-risk regions from recurrent disease outbreaks that threaten both lives and livelihoods.
PS Muthoni noted that the rollout of the new tools will help standardize diagnostic protocols, improve laboratory accuracy, and build county-level surveillance and response capacity, thereby reducing misdiagnosis and curbing avoidable epidemics.
She commended the collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, academia, and development partners, including the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the University of Liverpool, emphasizing that multisectoral action is essential to safeguarding public health, livestock, and the broader economy.
The two frameworks are part of Kenya’s broader efforts to enhance disease surveillance, preparedness, and resilience against emerging health threats.
