The Kenya National Public Health Institute [KNPHI] has organized a one week workshop  bringing multiple stakeholders on board to strengthen county-level capacity in Mpox and Cholera preparedness and response through targeted and training sensitization activities in Mombasa County. 

Speaking earlier today during the official opening of the activity ,KNPHI acting Director General Dr Kamene Kimenye said the workshop is dedicated to the imperative task of enhancing the capacity of health care workers with special focus squarely placed upon three core areas: improved Mpox and Cholera Case Management, the provision of essential Mental Health Support, and rigorous standards in Infection Prevention and Control (PC).

She lauded the collaboration with key partners led by Africa CDC who are event sponsors for their unwavering commitment to strengthening Kenya's national readiness and comprehensive response to the challenges posed by emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

"This collaboration exemplifies the robust and effective partnership that exists between the Republic of Kenya and our continental institutions in the crucial endeavour of capacity building for disease preparedness and response. We note that the Africa CDC's Mpox Preparedness and Response Plan underscores the vital importance of country readiness IPC protocols, and community engagement- -all of which form the direct subject matter of this workshop" she said

"Furthermore, we are deeply appreciative of GIZ's consistent commitment to reinforcing public health systems across the African continent, recognizing the fundamental principle that true health security originates at the community level " her statement added 

Mombasa has been prioritized due to the high number of confirmed Mpox cases among vulnerable populations and the associated case fatality rate. The county also remains at risk for cholera transmission, underscoring the need for enhanced surveillance, case management,IPC and WASH interventions.

The country is actively engaged in responding to two concurent and significant public health challenges: Mpox and Cholera which have rigorously tested the elasticity and operational resiliences of the health system, particularly within high-risk settings such as urban centres, where demographic density, commercial trade, and cross-border mobilty inherently elevate the risk of pathogen transmission.

This training workshop which also involves community health workers that constitute the indispensable core of Kenya's national health defence seeks to strengtnen mechanisms for field assessment and supportive supervision, thereby ensuring that the competencies acquired in Mombasa can be successfully and uniformly replicated across other high-risk counties.