Amoth: Emerging P. vivax cases in Wajir raise new malaria concerns
Kenyan health officials are responding to an increase in Plasmodium vivax malaria cases in Wajir County. The government is implementing new treatment strategies and vector control measures to combat the parasite, which is linked to climate change-induced shifts in transmission.
Why it matters
The emergence of P. vivax in new regions poses a significant public health challenge due to the parasite's ability to remain dormant and cause relapses.
DG Health Patrick Amoth speaking during the Media Town Hall on August 11,2026 . /LEAH MUKANGAI
Kenya is stepping up efforts to contain the emergence of Plasmodium vivax malaria in Wajir County.
Speaking in Nairobi on Tuesday, Health Director-General Patrick Amoth said the government was exploring new treatment approaches and strengthening vector control to prevent the parasite from spreading further.
Amoth said the emergence of P. vivax presents a new challenge for Kenya’s malaria control programme, particularly because the parasite can remain dormant in the liver and cause relapses after treatment.
“Because of the effects of climate change, parasites are becoming more common. P. vivax has a dormant stage in the liver, so after treatment there might be a relapse,” Amoth said.
He was responding to concerns over the increasing number of locally transmitted P. vivax cases in Wajir, which borders Ethiopia, where cases of the parasite have been rising.
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