KENYA

Kenya

In 2024, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) responded to multiple emergencies and public health challenges in Kenya.

In 2024, drought, conflict, and growing humanitarian needs continued to drive people to seek refuge in Dadaab, an already overcrowded camp complex hosting more than 350,000 refugees. Our teams maintained essential healthcare services in and around the camps particularly in Dagahaley while consistently calling for improved living conditions and increased humanitarian assistance to meet rising needs.

Where we worked Map of the areas MSF worked in 2024
Country map for the IAR 2024.

Our activities in 2024

Our teams continued to deliver healthcare in Dadaab, a huge, overcrowded camp complex, which currently hosts more than 350,000 refugees. During the year, we repeatedly called for better living conditions and increased humanitarian assistance for the constantly growing population, especially in Dagahaley camp. In Kiambu county, we supported refugees who had fled Kakuma camp following an outbreak of fighting.


In Mombasa, we supported three health facilities to cater to the specific needs of vulnerable adolescents and young adults, such as people with disabilities, the LGBTQI+ community, individuals living on the streets, and people who engage in sex work or use drugs.


In Nairobi, our Lavender House clinic offered medical care and social support to people affected by violence – including sexual violence – in the Eastlands area. During the protests in July, our clinic dispatched a medical team to treat the injured. Our youth-friendly centre also continued to run medical services, psychosocial support, recreational activities, and educational programmes throughout 2024.


MSF responded to several other emergencies during the year. In March, extensive flooding resulted in hundreds of casualties, and destroyed homes and livelihoods. Our teams launched responses in Nairobi, Nakuru, Homa Bay, Tana River, and Garissa counties, providing medical assistance, as well as clean water, jerry cans, and warm clothes for children. We also responded to outbreaks of malaria in Baringo and Turkana counties, measles and Rift Valley fever in Marsabit county, and measles in Dagahaley camp. In the displacement camps in Baringo county, we launched a response to support victims and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.


In Homa Bay county, we continued to run two adult wards, the tuberculosis ward, a Kaposi’s sarcoma clinic, and a post-discharge clinic at the hospital, as well as chronic disease clinics in two health centres.


After five years of supporting the provision of health and social support for people who use drugs in Kiambu, we handed over activities to the county Department of Health and a patient-led community-based organisation

 
Inside Illeret cholera treatment unit
Access to Healthcare

Responding to Cholera as COVID-19 threatens Kenya’s health system

Article 18 May 2020
 
Access to Healthcare

COVID-19 and lack of protective equipment threaten life-saving medical care for vulnerable people in Mathare, Kenya

Article 15 May 2020
 
2014: A man walks past a small, tin-roof shop in the Kibera slum, near Kibera South Health Centre
Access to Healthcare

Kibera: "In this environment, the usual health promotion messages just don’t apply"

Stories from the Frontline 30 Apr 2020
 
Access to Healthcare

Kenya: Adapting to COVID-19

Article 16 Apr 2020
 
Patients waiting to take their methadone at the Karuri MAT clinic [© Paul Odongo/MSF]
Access to Healthcare

“I never thought I would get hooked,” reprieve for drugs users through a holistic approach

Article 13 Mar 2020
 
Kingsley Makwale MSF clinician examining Aisha at Mbenje Health Centre [Photo: Isabel Corthier/MSF]
HIV/AIDS

“No time to lose”: AIDS deaths toll stagnating due to lack of basic testing at community level

Press Release 2 Dec 2019