Sleeping Sickness Eliminated in Kenya, WHO Says

Key TakeawaysKenya is the 10th country to eliminate sleeping sickness as a public health problem, the World Health Organization saysThe disease, spread by tsetse flies, can be deadly within weeks if untreatedThe WHO will continue supporting monitoring in the country.THURSDAY, Aug. 14, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized Kenya as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, as a public health problem.Kenya is now the 10th country to reach this milestone. HAT is the second neglected tropical disease it has eliminated, with the first being Guinea-worm disease in 2018, the organization said.“I congratulate the government and people of Kenya on this landmark achievement,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a news release.“Kenya joins the growing ranks of countries freeing their populations of human African trypanosomiasis," he said. "This is another step towards making Africa free of neglected tropical diseases.”HAT is caused by the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei and is spread through bites from infected tsetse flies. Rural communities that rely on farming, fishing, livestock or hunting face the highest risk of exposure.The form found in Kenya — Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (r-HAT) — progresses quickly, attacking multiple organs, including the brain. Without treatment, it is fatal within weeks.The first HAT cases in Kenya were identified in the early 1900s. No new local cases have been reported in more than 10 years, with the last occurring in 2009.The most recent imported cases — both linked to the Masai Mara National Reserve — were reported in 2012, the organization explained.To strengthen detection, Kenya equipped 12 health facilities with advanced diagnostic tools and trained health workers in the most accurate testing methods. The facilities were located across six counties where the disease had been consistently present.The country also ramped up surveillance for tsetse flies and animal trypanosomiasis infections, supported by national veterinary authorities and the Kenya Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Council.“This validation marks a major public health milestone for Kenya, as we celebrate the elimination of a deadly disease in our country," Aden Duale, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health, said in a news release. "The achievement will not only protect our people but also pave the way for renewed economic growth and prosperity.”He said this milestone follows many years of "dedication, hard work and collaboration.”Kenya will now implement a surveillance plan to detect any new cases or possible reintroduction of the disease quickly. WHO and partners, including Kenya’s HAT-elimination program FIND, will continue to support monitoring. With donations from pharmaceutical companies Bayer AG and Sanofi, they will also maintain a supply of medicines for rapid treatment if needed.“This success was made possible by the Ministry of Health’s leadership, the dedication of health workers in areas at risk and the support from key partners,” said Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo, WHO representative to Kenya.Worldwide, 57 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. Ten have eliminated sleeping sickness as a public health threat: Kenya, Benin, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda.More informationThe World Health Organization has more on sleeping sickness.SOURCE: World Health Organization, news release, Aug. 8, 2025.What This Means For YouKenya’s success shows that deadly diseases like sleeping sickness can be wiped out through prevention, early diagnosis and continuous monitoring..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Sleeping Sickness Eliminated in Kenya, WHO Says

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