The Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) headquarters in Nairobi /HANDOUT
The Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) has refuted social media reports alleging that the organisation is recruiting volunteers to be used in a malaria study.
The reports indicated that the volunteers will deliberately be infected with malaria and get a payment of Sh48,000.
The reports said 200 volunteers were needed for the study, which would require them to stay in hospital for 24 days.
Responding to the reports, Kemri insisted that the public should rely on its official communication channels for accurate information.
“All Kemri research involving human participants is conducted under strict ethical and regulatory oversight,” the institute said on its social media pages, “with participant safety and informed consent as core requirements.”
The institute ruled the claims out as misleading and inaccurate.
Kenya has been a global focal point for landmark malaria experiments and clinical trials, primarily led by KEMRI and international partners.
Malaria remains a major public health concern in Kenya, with about 70% of the population at risk and millions of clinical cases reported annually.
The Kenya Malaria Strategy 2023-2027 establishes a strategic framework for the delivery of malaria control and elimination interventions, along with a monitoring and evaluation performance framework.
The strategy document incorporates the global guidance for malaria, including the Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016—2030 (2021 update), and responds to Kenya’s Vision 2030 which focuses on shifting health outcomes from curative to preventive.
It has been aligned with the Kenya Health Sector Strategic Plan 2023—2027. The defined strategies are guided by the Kenya Malaria Policy, which demonstrates an overall commitment to equity, human rights, and gender, with an emphasis on community participation and universal access to malaria interventions.
The malaria claims come following Kenya’s preparations
amidst the current Ebola outbreak in East and Central Africa.
In their efforts to safeguard Kenya’s public health, a Kemri delegation including acting Deputy Director, Commercial Enterprises, Carolyne Wandera, Kemri Busia Deputy Director Ferdinand Adungo, and Kemri Eldoret Research Scientist Edwin Too, distributed an assortment of essential start-up personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control supplies to Busia-Uganda Port Health Services, Busia County Referral Hospital, Alupe Hospital, Malaba Port Health and Uasin Gishu County Hospital.
