Kenya has inaugurated a newly upgraded World Health Organization (WHO)-accredited polio laboratory at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), marking a significant milestone in the country’s ability to detect and respond quickly to poliovirus and other epidemic-prone diseases. Supported by WHO and a grant from the Gates Foundation, the facility represents a crucial investment in health security for Kenya and the wider African Region, particularly as countries continue efforts to stop circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreaks.
The laboratory, housed within KEMRI’s Centre for Virus Research, is an integral part of the African Regional Polio Laboratory Network, which consists of 16 WHO-accredited facilities. These laboratories play a key role in testing stool and environmental samples for polioviruses, informing immunization campaigns and outbreak response strategies. In 2024 alone, more than 5,000 samples were processed across the network, helping to quickly detect and curb transmission in countries such as Madagascar and Mozambique.
Equipped with state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic platforms, expanded storage capacity, and enhanced biosafety standards, the new facility will ensure accurate and timely results. According to Dr. Abdourahmane Diallo, WHO Representative in Kenya, the laboratory strengthens surveillance for not only polio but also measles, rubella, and other vaccine-preventable diseases, making Kenya better prepared to detect and respond to outbreaks early.
The upgraded laboratory will also support cross-border surveillance in the Horn of Africa, a region at particularly high risk for poliovirus spread. Coordinated vaccination campaigns and synchronized laboratory efforts are vital for protecting children in hard-to-reach and border communities.
The official handover was attended by senior health officials, including Cabinet Secretary Hon Aden Duale, along with representatives from WHO, KEMRI, the Gates Foundation, and other partners, reflecting the collaborative efforts that made the achievement possible.
This development is part of broader initiatives under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), which trained over 800 health professionals in Africa in 2024 in outbreak investigation, GIS mapping, and laboratory practices. In Kenya, vaccination and surveillance activities continue to cover nomadic, peri-urban, and cross-border populations, with nearly 1 million children protected in the latest vaccination round.
Kenya has not reported any cVDPV2 cases in the past 15 months, and the strengthened capacity of the new KEMRI laboratory will be key in maintaining this progress, ensuring early detection, and preventing future resurgence.
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