NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 8— The malaria threat in East Africa could worsen as climate change and an impending El Niño episode create conditions favourable for mosquito breeding and transmission, Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya Gideon Behar has warned, urging governments to move quickly from planning to action.

📻 Breaking It Down

Behar said rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increased water availability were enabling malaria-carrying mosquitoes to spread into areas where they had previously been less prevalent.

“Malaria is on the rise,” Behar told the 2nd East African Community Malaria Stakeholders Meeting in Nairobi, where regional health experts are assessing progress towards the 2030 elimination target.

“One of the reasons, of course, is climate change,” he said, noting that mosquitoes could now reach “higher places, colder places, [and] northern places” as environmental conditions change.

📌 What You Need to Know

Behar, who earlier served as Israel’s special envoy for climate change and sustainability, said the region must prepare for the additional malaria burden that could accompany changing weather patterns.

“And now we are just in front of an El Niño. And El Niño will have an effect on malaria in Eastern Africa. That’s for sure,” he said.

He challenged governments and health agencies to assess whether they had done enough to prepare for the potential increase in cases.

“How do we prepare ourselves for that, for the rise of malaria? Do we take all the necessary measures? Have we taken the necessary measures? Have we prepared the plans?” Behar asked.

Behar’s warning came as the World Health Organization said Africa remains off track on both malaria morbidity and mortality targets under the Global Technical Strategy.

WHO Kenya Deputy Representative Dr. Boston Zimba said the World Malaria Report 2025 estimated 282 million malaria cases globally in 2024, an increase of nine million from the previous year.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya