World Malaria Day 2025 — LERN Mobilises Communities Across Lake Region
As the world marked World Malaria Day on 25th April 2025 under the global theme “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” the Lake Endemic Region Malaria CSO Network (LERN) joined communities, health workers, and partners across the eight counties of the Lake Victoria basin to amplify efforts toward malaria elimination.
LERN-member organisations coordinated community outreach activities across high-burden wards in Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega, and Vihiga counties, focusing on insecticide-treated net (ITN) distribution, malaria testing, and community health education.
Community Mobilisation at the Grassroots
Community health promoters (CHPs) linked to LERN member organisations conducted door-to-door campaigns, reaching fishing villages, informal settlements, and mobile populations — communities that bear a disproportionate burden of malaria due to their proximity to the lake and limited access to health facilities.
“Malaria is preventable and treatable, but it continues to claim lives in our communities because of gaps in access to nets, timely testing, and treatment,” said the LERN Network Coordinator. “Today, we are not just marking a day — we are renewing our commitment to end malaria in the Lake Region.”
Integrated Service Delivery
Beyond ITN distribution, LERN partners integrated HIV and TB screening into the outreach activities, reflecting the Network’s commitment to holistic community health programming. Pregnant women and children under five — the most vulnerable to severe malaria — were prioritised for testing and treatment.
Call to Action
LERN calls on national and county governments, development partners, and communities to sustain investment in malaria prevention, strengthen community health systems, and ensure no community is left behind in the march toward a malaria-free Kenya.
For more information about LERN’s work, contact us at lakeendemicmalariacsonetwork@gmail.com or call +254 723 215 230.
