International health organization that tracks disease outbreaks and provides guidance on epidemics; monitoring the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in DRC.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
… Political and communications consultant Odhiambo Otieno: Kenya's doctor-to-patient ratio remains far below the World Health Organisation recommendation of one doctor for every 1,000 people, with the country currently averaging about one doctor for every 17,000 people. …
Stakeholders fault counties over poor handling of healthcareThe Standard
… According to the World Health Organisation, one in every 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, posing a major threat to public health and undermining confidence in healthcare systems. …
Viagra, HIV test kits among counterfeit medical products flooding Kenyan marketThe Standard
… According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by May 27, 2026, almost four weeks after the initial reports, the total infections were only 13, and three had lost their lives. …
Ebola outbreak: Let sobriety and human rights prevailThe Standard
… An alternative strategy is therefore urgently required.There is still no licensed vaccine, but the World Health Organisation and other global partners have realised the urgent need for vaccine development. …
Protecting newborns from a common, but deadly bacteriumThe Standard
… Now I can walk or take a short motorcycle ride to the facility,” said Khasaya.Globally, more than 700 women die every day from preventable pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). …
Vihiga's maternal health investments saving livesThe Standard
… Globally, the World Health Organisation estimates that one in every eight people was living with obesity in 2022, underlining the scale of a problem that health experts increasingly describe as a major public health challenge.Yet obesity remains one of the most misunderstood heal …
When weight, diabetes and kidney disease become one health storyThe Standard
… Maximum intake guideline values set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) exist for one cyanobacterial toxin, microcystin-LR, with stricter thresholds for, e.g. …
Balancing benefits and risks in every fish purchase decisionThe Standard
… The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 2.2 billion people globally live with vision impairment or blindness, with more than one billion cases either preventable or still unaddressed. …
why eye care matters more than we think: Simple steps to protect your visionThe Standard
… Worldwide, an estimated 537 million people are living with diabetes, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), which attributes about 1.5 million deaths annually to the disease and its complications, including kidney failure, blindness and cardiovascular diseases. …
Diabetic Retinopathy: The Silent Eye Disease Stealing Sight from Kenyans with DiabetesThe Standard
… However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified the Ebola outbreak affecting parts of the region as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.The postponement comes after consultations involving Mauritius’ Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Ministry of Y …
Why the Rugby Africa Sevens has been postponedKenya has one doctor for more than 5,000 people, widening a gap with WHO recommendations of one per thousand. An opinion piece argues that neighbourhood pharmacies, already the first point of care for many Kenyans, could help address this shortage by managing common minor ailments with support from qualified pharmacists.
5 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Kenya has one doctor for more than 5,000 people, widening a gap with WHO recommendations of one per thousand. An opinion piece argues that neighbourhood pharmacies, already the first point of care for many Kenyans, could help address this shortage by managing common minor ailments with support from qualified pharmacists.
5 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The WHO director general has arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for meetings with President Felix Tshisekedi as the Ebola epidemic spreads at an "exceptional" pace. The country's 17th Ebola outbreak, declared in May, has recorded 3,874 confirmed cases and 1,751 deaths, with the Bundibugyo virus variant currently lacking a vaccine or treatment.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →
Only six out of ten babies born in Kenya are breastfed within the first hour of life despite nearly nine in ten deliveries occurring under skilled health workers, experts warn. Early breastfeeding provides colostrum, a nutrient-rich first milk that protects newborns against life-threatening infections when the risk of death is highest.
3 August 2026 · The Standard →
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has reached 3,748 confirmed cases with 1,657 deaths and a 44 per cent case fatality rate on its 78th day, now the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history. Health authorities report that transmission continues to outpace response efforts despite improvements in contact tracing.
3 August 2026 · The Standard →
Research shows that chronological age reveals little about how well the brain ages, with people of the same age maintaining vastly different levels of cognitive function. Brain resilience—the ability to continue functioning well despite age-related changes, illness, or adversity—explains these differences better than age alone, and foundations for brain health are laid across a lifetime through health, education, living conditions, and access to care.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has reached 2,994 confirmed cases with 97 new infections and 62 deaths reported in a single day, mostly in Ituri Province. The virus is spreading northward toward South Sudan, raising concerns about potential spread closer to Kenya through cross-border movement.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →
Self-care—the ability of individuals and communities to maintain health, prevent disease, and manage illness—should be recognized as the "first mile of healthcare" in Kenya's universal health coverage agenda, not as a substitute for professional care but as an integrated part of a more preventive and accessible health system.
27 July 2026 · The Standard →
President William Ruto announced that the Government will begin paying medical insurance for all 107,000 Community Health Promoters under the Social Health Authority this month. The National Government will provide 390 million shillings, with counties expected to contribute a similar amount.
25 July 2026 · Capital News →
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has claimed 930 deaths among 2,344 confirmed cases across five provinces, with the World Health Organisation warning that the epidemic is spreading faster than containment efforts can manage.
20 July 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya recorded 472,845 adolescent girls receiving at least one HPV vaccine dose between January and June 2026, up from 258,698 in the same period last year, bringing coverage to 69 per cent of eligible girls. The increase reflects intensified efforts by the Ministry of Health with support from UNICEF, WHO and other partners to protect girls against cervical cancer.
19 July 2026 · The Standard →
Scientists have launched EBO-PEP, the first clinical trial evaluating post-exposure prophylaxis with an experimental antiviral pill called obeldesivir for Bundibugyo Ebola, among high-risk contacts including family members and healthcare workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. If successful, it would become the first proven strategy to prevent Bundibugyo Ebola after exposure.
15 July 2026 · The Standard →
The World Health Organisation confirmed that a second American humanitarian worker infected with Ebola's Bundibugyo strain has been transferred to Germany for treatment, ending speculation that Kenya's Nanyuki facility would receive the patient.
14 July 2026 · The Standard →
The World Health Organisation warns that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is significantly larger than official figures, with WHO Emergencies Director Chikwe Ihekweazu stating that modelling suggests the true scale may be two to four times the confirmed case count because a large proportion of infections are occurring outside known chains of transmission.
12 July 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya will receive Sh1.9 billion from the United States to strengthen readiness against Ebola Virus Disease in 22 high-risk counties through new laboratories, trained personnel, and emergency response centres. The funding covers disease surveillance, laboratory systems, healthcare worker training, emergency response coordination, risk communication, and screening at points of entry.
9 July 2026 · The Standard →
Researchers found that a lotion made from catnip was just as effective as DEET, the widely-used mosquito repellent ingredient, in field trials. The plant-based alternative could offer an affordable, locally produced option for protecting against mosquito-borne diseases including malaria, dengue fever, and chikungunya in Kenya.
8 July 2026 · The Standard →
Uganda will deploy medical experts and establish additional Ebola treatment centres in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to contain the rapidly expanding outbreak, as treatment centres operate at 96 per cent bed occupancy and healthcare workers in Ituri Province threaten to suspend services over delayed salaries.
8 July 2026 · The Standard →
A French doctor who contracted Ebola while working in eastern DRC has recovered fully without secondary transmission. The world's largest recorded Bundibugyo strain outbreak has recorded 1,549 confirmed cases, 57 recoveries and 495 deaths across three countries, with DRC accounting for over 98 per cent of infections and treatment centres nearing full capacity.
7 July 2026 · The Standard →
Trichomoniasis, a curable sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite, is the world's most common non-viral STI, according to the WHO. Most infected people develop no symptoms, allowing it to spread undetected between sexual partners, though those who do experience symptoms may mistake them for yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.
7 July 2026 · The Standard →
Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology has partnered with Rainbow for Africa UK to establish an ultrasound simulation laboratory to strengthen medical training and improve maternal and neonatal healthcare in Western Kenya and the country. The facility will serve as a Centre of Excellence for ultrasound training, research and innovation.
6 July 2026 · The Standard →
Zeddy Chepchirchir Komen, a paediatric nurse, was among 170 Kenyan health workers dispatched in January 2015 to Liberia and Sierra Leone to help contain the Ebola epidemic. Between 2014 and 2016, the outbreak infected more than 28,600 people and claimed more than 11,300 lives across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
3 July 2026 · The Standard →
Health stakeholders have criticized county governments over the continued deterioration of healthcare services, citing deep-rooted leadership and governance challenges, including SHA implementation struggles, medicine shortages, counterfeit drugs, poor infrastructure, inadequate healthcare workers, supply chain failures, and corruption. These problems have led to rising treatment costs, long hospital queues, and increased out-of-pocket medical expenses for Kenyans.
3 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Pharmacy and Poisons Board has warned that counterfeit medical products including viagra, HIV rapid diagnostic test kits, and dialysis medications are circulating in Kenya, raising patient safety concerns. Between 2021 and 2025, the regulator received 1,413 product quality complaints resulting in 99 medical product recalls.
1 July 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that while recent disease threats including Ebola, MPox, and Hantavirus appear severe, responses must remain sober and balanced; the author cites WHO data showing Hantavirus infections on a cruise ship totaled only 13 cases with three deaths by late May 2026, and notes the virus is routinely found globally, with 10,000 to 100,000 cases yearly according to WHO.
30 June 2026 · The Standard →
Group B streptococcus is the most common bacterial cause of illness in newborns worldwide, causing more deaths in the first month of life than HIV, tetanus, or pertussis, with a third of survivors developing physical or mental disability. Developed countries use universal screening and antibiotics to prevent transmission, but most developing countries lack prevention strategies.
29 June 2026 · The Standard →
A new Mother and Child Health Unit in Mbale is improving maternal care access and outcomes in Vihiga County, with local women reporting shorter distances to facilities, more attentive care, and reduced overcrowding compared to previous years.
29 June 2026 · The Standard →
Health specialists warn that excess weight can trigger multiple medical problems extending beyond appearance, including effects on blood sugar, blood pressure, kidney function and blood circulation. Specialist clinics held in Dar es Salaam discussed conditions linked to obesity, diabetes, vascular disease and kidney complications, with doctors increasingly seeing patients whose weight is intertwined with diabetes, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, joint pain and reduced mobility.
24 June 2026 · The Standard →
Fish provide essential nutrients like omega-3s for heart health, but as water pollution increases, the same fish may contain harmful substances such as heavy metals or pesticides. Consumers face a difficult trade-off between nutrient benefits and contamination risks, complicated by varying individual circumstances and changing needs throughout life.
22 June 2026 · The Standard →
Many cases of vision loss are preventable when detected and managed early, yet eye health is often ignored in daily life until damage becomes severe. Experts in Kenya warn against self-medication and delayed diagnosis, emphasizing the importance of routine eye check-ups and clinical assessment for injuries and infections.
22 June 2026 · The Standard →
Diabetic retinopathy, caused by high blood sugar damaging blood vessels in the eye, is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness worldwide and a growing public health concern in Kenya. The condition often develops without early symptoms, and if undetected can progress to vision loss or blindness.
22 June 2026 · The Standard →
The 2026 Rugby Africa Men's Sevens Championship, scheduled for June 20–21 in Mauritius and expected to feature 12 nations, has been postponed due to public health concerns linked to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. The decision was taken as a precautionary measure, with no confirmed cases connected to the tournament.
17 June 2026 · The Standard →