The Ministry of Health has activated a coordinated preparedness framework to limit illness and deaths linked to anticipated heavy rainfall, flooding and displacement during the 2026/2027 El Niño season.
The Health Sector El Niño Contingency Plan brings together national and county governments, emergency agencies, humanitarian organisations and development partners to anticipate, prevent, detect and respond to health emergencies associated with flooding, the ministry said in a statement shared on Friday.
The ministry said particular attention will be given to water and food-borne diseases, including cholera, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A and other diarrhoeal illnesses, which can rise when floods contaminate water sources and damage sanitation systems.
Multi-sector response
The ministry said it was working with county governments and the Kenya Red Cross Society, the National Disaster Operations Centre, National Disaster Management Unit, Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), water and sanitation agencies and international partners.
The World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNFPA, WFP, IOM, UNHCR, UNOCHA, St John Ambulance, Malteser International and MSF are among the organisations supporting preparedness efforts.
Through the National Health Sector El Niño Task Force and emergency operations structures, the partners are supporting joint planning, rapid assessments, emergency medical services, referral and evacuation, community outreach, risk communication and assistance to vulnerable populations.
Disease surveillance
The ministry said county health teams were being supported to strengthen routine and event-based disease surveillance, investigate alerts and deploy rapid response teams when necessary.
Emergency warning systems, mobile data collection and daily situation reporting will be used to support faster decision making, the statement said.
Laboratory preparedness is also being strengthened through improved testing capacity, sample referral networks and availability of reagents and rapid diagnostic tests for priority diseases such as cholera and typhoid.
Mobile laboratory support will be deployed to areas where it is needed, the ministry said.
Supplies and safe water
The government is also quantifying, procuring, stockpiling and pre-positioning essential medicines, laboratory supplies, infection-prevention materials, nutrition commodities and emergency kits at regional, county and health-facility levels.
Alternative delivery arrangements will be used to reach communities that could become inaccessible because of flooding.
The preparedness plan also includes water-quality surveillance, chlorination and disinfection of contaminated sources, household water treatment supplies, mobile water treatment units, handwashing facilities and mobile toilets.
The ministry said communities will also receive guidance on safe water storage, sanitation and hygiene.
Continuity counties are strengthening contingency plans to maintain essential health services during emergencies, including referral networks, ambulance services, evacuation arrangements, temporary and mobile clinics and health outreaches.
In addition, backup power arrangements are also being strengthened, while special attention will be given to pregnant women, children, older people, people living with chronic conditions and other vulnerable groups.
Community Health Promoters and Primary Care Networks will play a key role in communicating early warnings, promoting household water treatment and food hygiene, identifying danger signs and linking affected households to health facilities.
The Ministry of Health also urged people living in flood prone areas to take preventive measures, including treating or boiling drinking water and storing it in clean, covered containers.
Residents were also advised to wash their hands with soap and safe water after using the toilet, before preparing food and before eating or feeding children.
The ministry urged households to cook food thoroughly, eat it while hot, wash fruits and vegetables with safe water and avoid food that has been exposed to floodwater.
People experiencing persistent fever, severe headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, profuse watery diarrhoea, blood in stool, unusual weakness or signs of dehydration should seek medical attention promptly, the ministry said.
It also advised the public not to self-medicate with antibiotics.
The ministry urged residents to follow evacuation and safety instructions, avoid walking or driving through floodwater and rely on information issued by the government and authorised emergency agencies.
It said it would continue monitoring meteorological and epidemiological information, updating risk assessments, supporting counties and partners and issuing further public health guidance as conditions evolve.
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