Two in every five Kenyans have TB – but they don’t know it

Two in every five Kenyans are unaware that they have tuberculosis (TB). And they are spreading it, hour after hour, albeit unknowingly. Findings from the National TB Prevalence survey 2016 released Friday showed that 40 per cent of Kenyans infected with tuberculosis were undetected and thus untreated.

Head of the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease programme Enos Masini said this pool of missed cases fuels the spread of the respiratory disease countrywide. “This is a dangerous trend considering that one undiagnosed and untreated individual can infect about 10 to 15 people,” said Dr Masini.