Joint health initiative targets 75,000 in Siaya to fight malaria
Nyanza
By
David Njaaga
| Nov 19, 2025
Haleon and Amref Health Kenya launch malaria awareness programme in Siaya, training teachers and community health promoters to reach 75,000 residents. [Shutterstock]
A joint health initiative aimed at reaching at least 75,000 people in Siaya County has been launched, marking one of Kenya’s largest public–private malaria interventions.
Amref Health Kenya and Haleon Kenya Ltd will train 200 community health promoters, 30 community health assistants, 190 teachers, and equip 45,600 schoolchildren with malaria awareness and fever management tools.
Malaria continues to pose a major public health challenge in Kenya, with 75 per cent of the population at risk and western counties such as Siaya among the hardest hit.
Each year, the Ministry of Health reports about 3.4 million new cases and more than 11,000 deaths.
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“This partnership with Amref reflects our purpose to deliver better everyday health with humanity by empowering communities to manage malaria and fever more effectively. Through this initiative, we are putting health in more hands,” said Himanshu Raj, General Manager, Haleon Sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr Meshack Ndirangu, Country Director at Amref Health Kenya, noted the role of partnerships in health equity.
“Public–private partnerships like this are vital for achieving lasting health impact. By combining Amref’s community health expertise with Haleon’s leadership in consumer health, we are building a strong platform to reduce the malaria burden and strengthen local health systems,” he said.
The programme focuses on community education, distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, fever management aligned with World Health Organisation guidelines, and training of frontline health workers.
It also draws on findings from the Health Inclusivity Index, showing that improving health literacy in Kenya could generate annual economic gains of up to USD 186 million.
Siaya County’s tropical climate, proximity to Lake Victoria, and limited access to healthcare services have contributed to high malaria prevalence.
Officials said the initiative aims to deliver knowledge and resources directly to the communities most affected, while embedding malaria prevention and fever management into schools and health facilities.
The partnership also supports global efforts to reduce malaria cases by 90 per cent by 2030 through community-led, climate-resilient interventions.