On 31st July 2024,kenya declared an Mpox outbreak when its first case was confirmed on the Kenya-Tanzania border, the affected was a truck driver, since then the country has confirmed 36 cases in 12 counties one of whom passed on. Truck drivers have emerged as a significant vector for the transmission of the disease.
Truck drivers operate within high-contact environments like transport hubs, border crossings, and rest stop, making them particularly susceptible to disease transmission.
Speaking at a media sensitization event the Principal Secretary Ms. Mary Muthoni Muriuki spoke on the current state of Mpox in the country terming it as a big threat, she emphasized that the government is committed to safeguarding the health of all Kenyans.
“As a country, we are equally committed to ensuring that we respond effectively to mitigate any potential public health risk to our citizens that may be occasioned by this outbreak. Regarding the Current Situation in Kenya, Ladies and Gentlemen, Mpox remains a big threat in the East African Region, and in our country at large. In the past one week alone, we have confirmed five new cases, 3 of which were reported just two days ago.”
Kenya has screened 3,023,193 people so far through the National Public Health Lab and out of 386 samples collected from 38 counties, 36 tested positive, the demographic with the highest number of people affected being truck drivers, business people and female sex workers.
The Kenya Long Distance Truck Drivers Union also shared their perspective during the event. Representing the union, Director Caroline Ndung’u highlighted the difficulties truck drivers face in accessing healthcare and information.
The Ministry of Health, on its part, has initiated a multi-faceted response to the Mpox outbreak, including vaccination campaigns that will target high-risk groups, enhanced border surveillance, and public awareness efforts. Kenya has placed a special focus on high-risk populations, and collaborative efforts among government agencies, health partners, and the media, Kenya can mitigate the spread of Mpox and strengthen its overall disease preparedness.
Acknowledging the government efforts Ms. Ndung’u said, “Truckers are a challenging population, because they are highly mobile yet they are at risk of so many infections and bringing most of these infections into the country, the fact that they are so mobile makes it really hard to get them top access health and even if referred its hard for them to be linked to treatment.”
On their part the Truckers union has placed efforts to ensure their members get the resources they need “The union has resource centers along the highways corridor mostly at weigh bridges and border points as we reassure our commitment to all partners and the ministry of health these platforms are easily accessible to truckers, these places have parking spaces making it even more convenient for truckers”
The PS urged the media to prioritize disseminating information about Mpox to vulnerable groups, emphasizing the critical role of bridging existing information gaps. “These groups often lack access to information as they are mostly on the road. This is why we are particularly grateful to the media, especially radio, as it remains a key source of information for them. This will help close some of the knowledge gaps among this high-risk population.
Echoing the PS’s sentiments, Miss Ndung’u called on the media to intensify awareness campaigns about Mpox transmission, particularly among truck drivers. “As we know, Mpox can also be sexually transmitted, and truck drivers are often associated with having multiple sexual partners along highway corridors. It is crucial to consider their contacts and the potential risk to their families at home,” she emphasized.
As Kenya works to mitigate the Mpox outbreak, it is clear that addressing the unique vulnerabilities of truck drivers and strengthening partnerships among stakeholders will be essential in curbing the disease’s spread.
