The Kenya Red Cross Society has intensified its antimicrobial resistance (AMR) awareness efforts in Kajiado County during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), being observed globally from November 18 to 24, 2025. The outreach aims to help residents understand how misuse of antimicrobials threatens both human and animal health in a county where livestock and household medication practices significantly influence resistance trends.
In Kajiado, the activities are being carried out through school visits, market sensitization forums and community meetings across different wards. Volunteers are distributing locally tailored information materials translated into Maa and Kiswahili to ensure that pastoralist communities and peri-urban households receive clear and accessible AMR messages.
Youth from the county have also been trained as digital ambassadors and are sharing simplified AMR content online to reinforce responsible antibiotic practices. Their work focuses on discouraging self-medication, the sharing of leftover drugs and stopping treatment before completion, which remain common concerns in many parts of Kajiado.
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The county continues to prioritise AMR because of its heavy reliance on livestock and the close interaction between people, animals and the environment. Health officers and Red Cross teams are emphasizing the risks associated with improper veterinary drug use, including treating animals without guidance from trained professionals or ignoring withdrawal periods for milk and meat.
Schools in Kajiado are receiving child-friendly materials that explain how infections spread and why good hygiene helps reduce unnecessary antibiotic use. The sensitization sessions are designed to build knowledge among learners and encourage them to share the information with their families.
Earlier this year, journalists based in Kajiado received training to strengthen local reporting on AMR and help correct common misconceptions. The sessions highlighted how over-the-counter antibiotic purchases, sharing medicine at home and misuse of livestock drugs all contribute to emerging resistance in the county.
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The AMR awareness efforts offer several benefits for Kajiado. They improve public understanding, support safer livestock practices and strengthen collaboration between medical and veterinary officers. Youth involvement also helps push the messages deeper into remote areas where health information does not always circulate widely.
By Benedict Aoya
