Kenya has taken a bold step in strengthening child health services with the launch of new paediatric care standards and mentorship protocols, as the country joined the rest of the world in marking World Pneumonia Day 2025 at the KMTC Grounds in Siaya County.
The event, presided over by Dr. Patrick Amoth, the Director-General for Health, on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Health, brought together national and county leaders, development partners, health professionals, and the public under this year’s theme: “Defeat Pneumonia: Every Breath Counts, Every Action Matters.”
“Every breath a child takes must be a right, never a risk,” Dr. Amoth declared, emphasizing the urgency of collective action to end preventable pneumonia deaths among children under five.
The commemoration was graced by Siaya Governor Rt. Hon. James Orengo, County Health Executive Dr. K’Onyango, County Director of Health Dr. Kennedy Oruenjo, and representatives from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), which has played a key role in supporting the Ministry of Health to strengthen paediatric and child health systems.
CHAI Partners with Government to Strengthen Paediatric Care
In a landmark achievement for Kenya’s child health agenda, Dr. Amoth officially launched the Norms and Standards for Establishing Paediatric Care and the Infant and Child Mentorship Package—both developed with technical and financial support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).
“These tools represent a new chapter in improving the quality, consistency, and safety of child health services across Kenya,” said Dr. Amoth. “We are grateful to CHAI and all our partners for their steadfast collaboration in ensuring every child gets the right care at the right time.”
Developed in collaboration with County Governments and the Ministry of Health, these frameworks aim to standardize paediatric service delivery, build health worker capacity, and enhance mentorship and supervision across all health system levels.
The DG also launched the Revised Integrated Management of Newborn and Childhood Illnesses (IMNCI) 2025 and the Revised Mother and Child Handbook 2025, further cementing the Ministry’s commitment to improving outcomes for Kenya’s youngest citizens.
Pneumonia Still a Leading Killer
Pneumonia remains the world’s leading infectious cause of death among children, claiming more than 700,000 lives annually, or one child every 43 seconds. While Kenya has made significant gains in reducing child mortality, Dr. Amoth noted that gaps remain, particularly in early diagnosis and access to care.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, only 43% of children with respiratory symptoms received medical attention within 48 hours.
“Pneumonia kills fast. Care must be earlier, closer, and affordable,” Dr. Amoth said, calling on households to register under the Social Health Authority (SHA) to remove financial barriers to timely care.
A Three-Pillar Strategy: Protect, Prevent, and Treat
The Ministry’s pneumonia response is anchored on three critical pillars:
1. Protection – through exclusive breastfeeding, good nutrition, clean cooking fuels, and improved sanitation;
2. Prevention – by achieving at least 90% vaccination coverage against pneumonia-causing pathogens;
3. Treatment – ensuring timely, effective care through well-equipped community and health facility networks.
To support this, thousands of Community Health Promoters (CHPs) have been trained on integrated Community Case Management (iCCM), empowering them to identify, treat, or refer pneumonia cases early—demonstrating Primary Health Care (PHC) in action.
Expanding Access to Oxygen and Skilled Care
Kenya has also enhanced its capacity to manage severe pneumonia cases through the installation of oxygen plants in all county referral hospitals, alongside the training of health workers from 26 counties on medical oxygen use, maintenance, and safety.
Dr. Amoth applauded counties and partners for expanding access to pneumonia case management in remote areas and for strengthening community-level interventions.
“Every child, regardless of where they are born, deserves access to quality paediatric care,” he said. “Our partnerships with counties and organisations like CHAI are central to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the SHA framework.”
A Call to Parents and Caregivers
Dr. Amoth urged parents and caregivers to act swiftly if a child shows signs of pneumonia—such as cough, fast breathing, chest indrawing, or lethargy—by seeking immediate medical attention at accredited facilities.
“Early care saves lives,” he emphasized. “Together, we can ensure no child in Kenya—or anywhere—dies from a disease we can prevent and cure.”
Governor James Orengo commended the Ministry of Health and partners for choosing Siaya to host this year’s national commemoration, pledging continued support to strengthen community health systems and primary health care.
“Siaya is proud to host this national event,” he said. “We stand ready to work with all partners to make paediatric and maternal health a lived reality for every household.”
As the event closed, one message echoed clearly across Siaya’s KMTC grounds and beyond: every breath counts, and every action matters—because no child should die from pneumonia or any preventable illness in Kenya again.
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