The government, through the Ministry of Health, is set to distribute at least 15.3 million long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to 22 counties considered highly burdened by Malaria.

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, in a statement to newsrooms on Tuesday, said the ministry will digitize the process in a bid to enhance efficiency and accountability.

The counties set to benefit in the initiative are; Kisumu, Siaya, Busia, Migori, Kisii, Nyamira, Lamu, Kilifi, Tana River, Kwale, Taita taveta, Mombasa, Bungoma, Kakamega, Vihiga, Homa Bay, West Pokot, Turkana, Trans Nzoia, Narok, Baringo, and Kirinyaga.

PS Muthoni said the exercise already began in Homa Bay County where 830,862 nets were distributed, and will on Wednesday proceed to Kisii where 941,368 nets will be issued, and thereafter Nyamira on January 31, 2024, for the release of 449,974 nets.

She noted that LLINs have proven as a highly effective component in malaria prevention and control, adding that Kenya has adopted the recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) to conduct mass distributions every three years.

“The distribution of LLINs to community members has shown tremendous progress in the fight against malaria, with a significant drop in Malaria prevalence from 8% to 6% nationally as per the Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey 2015 and 2020, respectively,” the PS stated.

“In Kenya, Malaria has imposed a heavy burden on the people, with about 6.7 million clinical cases and 4,000 deaths reported in 2022. Children under five and pregnant mothers continue to bear the brunt of this preventable disease.”