Baringo County has recorded significant milestones in the fight againstmalaria, including the training of 420 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) onmalaria community case management across seven sub-counties, reduction ofstock-outs of Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies (AL) and Rapid DiagnosticTest kits (RDTs) from 22 per cent to 8 per cent over the last 12 months, andthe launch of a digital weekly malaria surveillance reporting system in BaringoNorth and Mogotio sub-counties.

The achievements were highlighted April 28th when Baringo joined the globalcommunity in commemorating World Malaria Day 2026 at Salawa Baraza Park inBaringo Central Sub-County under the theme, Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can,Now We Must. The event was spearheaded by the County Department of HealthServices, with focus placed on addressing themalaria burden in Salawa and similar high-risk areas within the county.

The commemoration brought together health officials, local leaders,partners and residents in a campaign aimed at sensitizing communities onmalaria prevention and early treatment, showcasing progress in the scale-up ofinsecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying, socialbehaviour change and malaria case management, while also mobilizingstakeholders to bridge intervention gaps in high-burden wards.

Activities ofthe day included a procession and flag-off ceremony at Salawa Centre led bycounty health officials, a free medical camp offering malaria testing andtreatment, distribution of 50 mosquito nets to vulnerable households, as wellas public health demonstrations on proper net use, environmental management andthe importance of regular malaria screening. Women were also encouraged toattend antenatal clinics early for malaria check-ups and preventive care.

Residents were reminded that malaria is both preventable and treatable,with health officers urging families to seek testing within 24 hours of feversymptoms and ensure full adherence to treatment. Communities were alsoencouraged to sleep under treated mosquito nets every night, clear stagnantwater and bushes around homes to reduce mosquito breeding, and report malariacases through CHPs to strengthen disease surveillance and response systems.However, challenges were noted, including limited access to mosquito nets formen due to prioritization of children under one year and pregnant women, aswell as delayed attendance to antenatal clinics among expectant mothers.

The county now plans to scale up malaria interventions in high-burdenareas, integrate malaria awareness into nutrition and immunization outreaches,strengthen cross-border surveillance collaboration with neighbouringsub-counties and lobby for additional funding to replace old mosquito nets andenhance capacity-building for Community Health Promoters. Health officialsexpressed confidence that sustained partnerships, community involvement anddata-driven interventions will accelerate efforts to reduce malaria infectionsand move Baringo closer to malaria pre-elimination in the highlandsub-counties.