Public Health Officers’ Strike Leaves Kenya Vulnerable to El Niño Disease Outbreaks

Kenya’s public health officers have entered the 49th day of a nationwide strike as the country prepares for El Niño rains, raising concerns about weakened disease prevention and outbreak response. The officers are responsible for preventing and containing outbreaks of cholera, dysentery, malaria, and severe diarrhoeal diseases. Their duties include rapid response, contact tracing, risk communication, mapping flood-prone areas, investigating disease vectors, managing sanitation, enforcing food and water safety standards, and supporting infection control in health facilities. The prolonged strike has significantly disrupted these preventive functions at a time when heavy rains could increase the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, particularly in low-lying areas and informal settlements.