Emerging Climate-Driven Health Risks Highlight Urgent Needs

Emerging climate-driven health risks are increasingly alarming, particularly highlighted by the rise of kala-azar in Kenya, a disease that has claimed the lives of many, including children. Grist reports that in Kenya's Turkana region, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall have contributed to the proliferation of sandflies, the primary vector for kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis.

This disease has now become endemic in more areas, with East Africa accounting for over seventy percent of the world’s estimated fifty to ninety thousand annual cases. The local community faces a staggering five million people at risk, as evidenced by a recent surge in cases, with Turkana County officially declaring a kala-azar emergency after recording over five hundred cases in 2025, the highest annual caseload on record.

The disease is particularly deadly, with untreated cases having a fatality rate of ninety-five percent, underscoring the urgency of addressing this public health crisis. It was reported that many cases, including that of an eight-year-old girl, have led to tragic outcomes due to delayed medical intervention, as families struggle to access healthcare amidst a backdrop of climate change and dwindling resources.

The situation has been exacerbated by significant cuts to international aid, particularly from the United States, which had previously supported community health initiatives and programs aimed at managing neglected tropical diseases, including kala-azar.

Dr. James Ekamais, the coordinator for neglected tropical diseases in Turkana County, expressed concern that the cuts have compromised early detection efforts and management of cases, predicting an increase in death rates if support does not improve.

The funding cuts, which have drastically reduced support for community health workers, have contributed to a critical shortage of medications and diagnostic test kits necessary for managing the disease.

Many residents have also reported co-morbidities such as hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS, which complicate treatment and increase vulnerability to kala-azar. The situation demands immediate attention, as the region witnesses a growing health crisis intertwined with climate change impacts.

With the Kenyan government's goal to eliminate kala-azar by 2030 now in jeopardy, experts emphasize the need for a coordinated response that integrates public health and climate action. The rising temperatures in Turkana, which have increased by two to three degrees Celsius from 1967 to 2012, are projected to rise further, exacerbating the breeding conditions for sandflies.

As the climate crisis continues to unfold, the urgent need for holistic approaches to health and environmental challenges becomes more apparent, emphasizing the interconnectedness of climate change and public health in vulnerable regions like Turkana.