How Kenyan volunteers hunt polio’s hidden trail

In the dusty heat of Samburu County, Kenya, volunteers like Eroi Lemarkat are on the front lines of a silent hunt for polio. Armed with a motorbike and a commitment to public health, Lemarkat accelerates along dirt tracks, responding to reports of children who have suddenly lost the use of one or both limbs. The cause could be polio, or another illness, but swift investigation is paramount.

These investigations take volunteers deep into remote settlements, often hours away from the nearest health facility. Although wild poliovirus has been eradicated across Africa, and Kenya has not recorded a case since 2013, a vaccine-derived strain remains a threat. This strain can circulate where immunization rates are low, mutating from the weakened virus used in oral polio vaccines. It poses a particular risk in under-immunized communities, especially in remote and nomadic parts of Kenya.

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The information gathered by community health volunteers in high-risk counties, such as Turkana and Samburu, allows the ministry to respond quickly with targeted interventions

To combat this, Kenya relies on a dual surveillance system. In urban areas, health officials monitor wastewater for poliovirus traces, often detecting it before symptoms appear. However, this method is limited to areas with sewer networks. In the sparsely populated north, where such infrastructure is absent, the responsibility falls to community health volunteers. They investigate reports of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and collect stool samples, reaching communities that formal health services seldom access.

For volunteers like Lemarkat, each investigation begins with a rumor. News of a child suddenly unable to walk or use an arm or leg spreads quickly through villages and nomadic settlements. Lemarkat follows every lead, often traveling for hours to isolated families. He prioritizes gaining the trust of community elders, chiefs, and religious leaders before approaching parents. Time is critical; two stool samples must be collected within 14 days of paralysis onset to maximize the chances of detecting the virus. "It is a race against time," Lemarkat told Al Jazeera. "If we arrive too late, we may lose the opportunity to confirm whether polio is responsible."

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It is a race against time. If we arrive too late, we may lose the opportunity to confirm whether polio is responsible