Kenya the first country to launch TB drugs for children

Kenya has pioneered the introduction of child friendly tuberculosis TB drugs globally.

Speaking during the launch in Nairobi on Tuesday, the Director of Medical Services Dr. Jackson Kioko said previous drugs were difficult to administer and made treatment difficult.

“The current drug is pleasantly flavoured and care givers will not have a hard time when giving treatment to children. Previous drugs used to be crushed and added to the children’s meals which made curing of the disease inefficient,” he said.

The treatments now being introduced are the first to meet the World Health Organization WHO’s guidelines for childhood TB treatment. 

Dr. Kioko explained that they are not new drugs but improved formulations that come in the correct doses that required fewer pills.

 “Kenya is playing a leading role in the fight against childhood TB by being the first to introduce improved TB medicines for children,” explained Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health Dr Cleopa Mailu in an emailed statement.

Dr. Mailu added that with appropriate treatments it was possible to make rapid progress in finding and treating children with TB to achieve a TB free generation.

“We need to eradicate TB by 2020,” reiterated Dr. Kioko.

“These new treatments won’t have an impact until they reach the children that need them,” said Dr. Cherise Scott, Director of Pediatric Programs, TB Alliance. “We are proud to partner with the Government of Kenya, the first of many countries, as they work to save lives.”

The Chairman of the African TB Caucus Stephen Mule announced that the drugs would be available for free by the 1^st of October.

Mule, who is also the Member of Parliament for Matungulu advised County Executives for Health in every county to join forces with their respective county assemblies to formulate solutions that would improve health standards and eradicate TB as well.

Tuberculosis is a major killer of children.

 The (WHO) reports that at least 1 million children suffer from annually and 140,000 children die of this curable and preventable disease.

 In 2015, Kenya reported nearly 7,000 cases of TB in infants and children.

Gender and Youth Affairs prioritized during deliberations at TICAD VI

The Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) ended on a high note after African, Japanese and other leaders agreed on Sunday to carry out more international actions to empower youth and women to achieve a demographic dividend and transform Africa. 

The leaders emphasized that youth empowerment was vital way of improving human capital and also bring about peace building by preventing radicalization.

“1 in every 3 persons in Africa is aged 10-24 years, chances are that this trend will continue until at least 2060. Their health and productivity will make or break demographic dividend for Africa,” Dr. Natalia Kanem, Deputy Executive Director (Programme) of, the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA said.

“It is vital and urgent to invest in Africa’s human capital, especially its women and young people, to change Africa’s economic and development pictures quicker,” she remarked.

Speaking at a TICAD related event Dr. Kanem continued, “It is estimated that girls completing secondary school in Kenya would add about $27 billion to the economy over their lifetimes. And if sub-Saharan Africa repeated the experience of some East Asian nations by making the right investments in young people, it could realize a demographic dividend of about $500 billion a year, for 30 years.” 

The National Council for Population and Development NCPD on the same note has called for an all-inclusive approach in order to achieve social equality.

 “By harnessing the demographic dividend, more savings and investments and ultimately economic development would be achieved,” said the Director General NCPD Josephine Kibaru-Mbae.

The Nairobi Declaration signed during the TICAD VI emphasized on the need for efforts to increase global funding to strengthen country and community led health systems to ensure services to all individuals throughout their lives. 

Heads of State, governments and delegations from 54 African countries, Japan, 74 international organizations and 52 other partners attended the conference.

UN in Kenya top job position filled

Siddharth Chatterjee has been appointed the United Nations UN Resident Coordinator in Kenya where he will provide leadership to 25 UN agencies in the country.

Chatterjee will also serve as the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Chatterjee who is an Indian national was the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative in Kenya before he was chosen as the Resident Co-ordinator.

He has a wealth of experience as he joined the UN in Bosnia in 1997 and over for 20 years he served in Iraq, South Sudan, Indonesia, Darfur region of Sudan, Somalia, Denmark, and Kenya.

Welcoming the appointment, Ms Ruth Kagia, Senior Advisor, International Relations and Social Sectors in the Office of the President of Kenya said, “Sid’s hard work and resourcefulness has translated to tangible gains. Improvements have been seen in maternal, child and adolescent health.”

 
According to a statement sent to news rooms, Chatterjee is expected to continue his advocacy for women’s empowerment in Kenya where he has led notable initiatives to advance reproductive, maternal, neo-natal, child and adolescent health.