Kenya has made a first in matters healthcare after it became the first country in the world to launch child-friendly tuberculosis medicine.

The new medication launched yesterday is fruit-flavoured and dissolves in water for easy intake. The drugs also come in the appropriate dosage for children.

Previously, children were taking the same medication for adults.

“Now, with the appropriate treatments, we can make rapid progress in finding and treating children with TB so we can achieve a TB free generation,” Health CS Cleopa Mailu said.

According to the ministry of health, the new drugs will be administered based on the weight as opposed to the age of the child. The minimum weight a child should have to qualify for the medication is 5kgs.

They are fixed dose combinations of the three most commonly used drugs to treat drug-sensitive TB (rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyrazinamide).

The new TB medication was developed by TB Alliance, an international not-for-profit organization, and was funded by Unitaid among other partners.

The treatments being introduced are the first to meet WHO guidelines for childhood TB treatment.