On 23 September 2026, during the Global Day of Action in Nairobi, Kenya, KELIN joined and supported civil society organisations and TB-affected communities in calling on the Ministry of Health and the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program (NTLD-P) to develop and implement a costed, measurable five-year roadmap for expanding equitable access to rapid molecular TB diagnostics across Kenya.
The call emphasised the need for clear targets, sustained financing and accountability mechanisms to ensure that everyone with presumptive TB — regardless of where they live or their socioeconomic circumstances — can access timely, accurate and quality-assured diagnosis. The call was made through a Country Advocacy Memorandum submitted to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale, EGH, and copied to the Head of the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program.
Kenya continues to face a significant gap between people developing TB and those diagnosed and notified. In 2024, the Ministry of Health reported 96,865 TB cases notified against an estimated 124,000 cases, while the WHO 2025 Global Tuberculosis Report estimated that approximately 117,000 people developed TB in Kenya. This highlights the urgent need to strengthen TB case finding, access to timely diagnosis and linkage to treatment.
The proposed five-year roadmap calls for:
- 2026: A costed national roadmap with annual targets for TB screening, rapid molecular testing, drug-resistance testing and equitable diagnostic access.
- 2027: 100% of people diagnosed with TB to receive an initial WHO-recommended rapid molecular diagnostic test.
- 2028: More than 75% of health facilities to have access to near point-of-care (nPOC) or another WHO-recommended molecular diagnostic, prioritising primary health-care facilities and underserved counties.
- 2029: Nationwide access to molecular TB testing, supported by functional specimen referral, connectivity, quality assurance and timely linkage to care.
- 2030: Double the number of people receiving TB screening, molecular testing and drug-resistance testing compared with 2026 levels.
Putting communities at the centre
Expanding access to TB diagnostics must go beyond simply procuring testing equipment. The memorandum calls for investment in the full diagnostic package needed to ensure that rapid molecular testing is accessible, reliable and sustainable. This includes sample collection and transportation systems, drug-resistance testing, connectivity, equipment maintenance, quality assurance, adequate supplies, training and supervision of healthcare workers, and meaningful community engagement.
Central to this call is the meaningful participation of TB-affected communities in decisions about where diagnostic services are located, how they are implemented, and how progress is monitored. This should be accompanied by regular reviews of diagnostic coverage, turnaround times, availability of tests and supplies, referral pathways and other bottlenecks that delay diagnosis and linkage to treatment.
Expansion should be guided by equity, with deliberate prioritisation of populations and geographic areas experiencing the greatest barriers to timely diagnosis, particularly rural, underserved and hard-to-reach communities. The goal must be not only to increase the number of tests available, but to ensure that everyone who needs a TB test can access an accurate and timely diagnosis, regardless of where they live or their circumstances.
To ensure sustainability and accountability, the proposed five-year roadmap should not operate as a standalone initiative. It should be integrated into Kenya’s National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Health, county-level implementation plans, Global Fund Grant Cycle 8 processes, and relevant domestic health financing mechanisms. This will help translate commitments on rapid molecular diagnostics into funded, measurable actions at both national and county levels.
As Kenya joins the global #TestToBeatTB call to action, TB-affected communities and their allies are calling for sustained national action to ensure that people with TB are diagnosed promptly, accurately and as close to their communities as possible.
Test early. Test accurately. Link to care. Beat TB.
Please find the memorandum here………….Global Day of Action Memo Signed by CS Health
For more information, please contact:
Duke Otieno
Program Lead-HIV/TB/KAPS
Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV & AIDS (KELIN)
Kuwinda Lane, Karen C, off Langáta Road
