Kenya: Health Ministry Rolls Out El Niño Plan in 18 High-Risk Counties

What the report says

Kenya’s Ministry of Health has activated an El Niño preparedness plan in 18 counties considered especially vulnerable to heavy rains expected in the October-December period, according to Capital FM’s report distributed by AllAfrica. The rollout comes amid warnings of flooding, displacement and possible outbreaks of waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases, with Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu also listed among the higher-risk urban areas.

Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the ministry is seeking help from development and health partners to reinforce emergency response capacity and maintain essential services in affected communities. The support requested includes temporary medical facilities, emergency care, health promotion, nutrition checks, safe water and sanitation measures, logistics, protection of health infrastructure and medical supplies. The ministry said it has drawn lessons from past flooding emergencies, including the 2023 El Niño season and the more recent March-May 2026 long rains.

The counties flagged as vulnerable span the Coast, Lake Basin, Rift Valley and North Eastern regions. Officials are especially concerned that floodwater could contaminate drinking sources, overwhelm sanitation systems and increase the spread of cholera, typhoid, dysentery and malaria. As part of its wider response, the government plans to distribute 10 million treated mosquito nets from November for people considered at higher risk of malaria.

The article also says the State Department for Public Health is preparing a Cabinet memorandum for a proposed monthly national cleanliness day, intended to reduce waste buildup and blocked drainage before the rains intensify. More broadly, the reported measures reflect an effort to improve early warning and local preparedness ahead of potentially wetter-than-normal conditions in East Africa.