As part of a significant national health survey, Kenya examined the growth, learning, and development of children under five for the first time. This could change the way the nation plans and provides support for its youngest residents.
The most important time for a child’s brain development is generally acknowledged to be the early years. A child’s development and potential can be shaped by the quality of nurturing care they receive throughout this period, which includes opportunities for early learning, safety and security, healthy eating, and responsive caregiving.
Earlier this year, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics finished gathering data from 30,000 households spread across 1,000 towns. The World Health Organization’s Global Scales for Early Development (GSED), a tool created especially to evaluate children’s holistic development from birth to three years old, was included in the survey along with well-known health indicators. This tool captures not only physical health but also how children are thinking, communicating, and interacting with their environment.
Simple, interesting graphic cards were used to convey the tool, which was modified for the Kenyan environment and translated into local languages. The Early Childhood Development Index 2030, a supplementary measure created by UNICEF, was also included in the poll to assess children’s development between the ages of three and five. When used in tandem, the two resources offered thorough coverage of early childhood development from birth to age five.
According to Dr. Makeba, WHO Kenya’s technical lead for child health, “feedback from data collectors confirmed that mothers responded positively to the simple, engaging picture cards, creating a welcoming environment that supported effective data collection.”
Building the capacity of the Ministry of Health, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, and partners through specialized training on the WHO tool was a crucial component of WHO’s commitment, allowing field teams to successfully deploy it across all survey sites. After receiving this training, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics equipped 150 data collectors in each of the 47 counties.
After analysis, the results should provide Kenyan officials with a more comprehensive understanding of whether youngsters are succeeding or falling behind, and most importantly, why.
The purpose of the survey, which was originally called the Kenya Mini Demographic and Health Survey 2025/26, was to serve as a crucial health check between the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022 and the upcoming national survey. Additionally, it collected more general health data from women between the ages of 15 and 49, including information on domestic violence, family planning, reproductive health, maternal and child health, and health insurance.
The results are currently being analyzed. It is anticipated that the data collected would directly influence national expenditure and policy decisions, providing planners with the means to allocate resources where children most need them.
Dr. Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, WHO representative a.i. to Kenya, stated, “WHO is proud to be part of this journey, and we look forward to seeing the final results and the opportunities they will create to improve the health and wellbeing of children across Kenya.”