KEMRI Dismisses Claims of Offering Ksh48,000 for Malaria Study

The Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) has dismissed claims that it is recruiting volunteers to be deliberately infected with malaria for payment. In a statement on June 17, 2026, KEMRI flagged the viral social media allegations as misleading and inaccurate. The institute emphasized that all its research involving human participants is conducted under strict ethical and regulatory guidelines, with participant safety and informed consent as core requirements. The rumors stated that KEMRI would pay Ksh2,000 per day for 24 days (total Ksh48,000) to over 200 volunteers, which the institution has categorically denied.