Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya

Kenya: Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts was 53.8% in 2014. ▲ Rising

Latest (2014)
53.8%
World rank
29th
of 96 countries
All-time high
80.0%
in 1989
All-time low
23.0%
in 1986
Years of data
9
1986–2014

Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya, 1986–2014

204060801986200020141986: 23 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet1987: 26 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet1989: 80 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet1993: 31.6 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet1998: 36.9 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet2000: 39.2 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet2003: 29.2 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet2009: 71.5 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet2014: 53.8 % of children under 5 who received ORS packet

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children under 5 who received ORS packet.

Analysis

In 2014, share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya stood at 53.8%.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 84.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya peaked at 80.0% in 1989 and was at its lowest, 23.0%, in 1986.

Kenya ranks 29th of 96 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya, year by year

Annual values for Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya, 1986 to 2014.
Year % of children under 5 who received ORS packet Change
1986 23.0%
1987 26.0% +13.0%
1989 80.0% +207.7%
1993 31.6% -60.5%
1998 36.9% +16.8%
2000 39.2% +6.2%
2003 29.2% -25.5%
2009 71.5% +144.9%
2014 53.8% -24.8%

Kenya compared with similar countries

  • Kenya's 53.8% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 40.0%, 1.3× the median. (39 countries reporting)
  • Kenya's 53.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 37.5%, 1.4× the median. (41 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 43.0% 23.0% 80.0% 3
1990s 34.2% 31.6% 36.9% 2
2000s 46.6% 29.2% 71.5% 3
2010s 53.8% 53.8% 53.8% 1

Countries ranked near Kenya

  1. 26 Colombia 54.1% compare
  2. 26 Liberia 54.1% compare
  3. 28 Sri Lanka 54.0% compare
  4. 30 Dominican Republic 53.2% compare
  5. 31 Honduras 52.9% compare
  6. 32 Panama 52.4% compare

See the full ranking of 96 places →

More reference data data for Kenya

All data for Kenya →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya?
Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya was 53.8% in 2014, according to Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts recorded in Kenya?
The highest recorded value was 80.0% in 1989.
What is the lowest share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts recorded in Kenya?
The lowest recorded value was 23.0% in 1986.
How does Kenya rank for share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts?
Kenya ranks 29th out of 96 countries with data for 2014.
Is share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts rising or falling in Kenya?
Over the last ten years it is up 84.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Kenya data come from?
The figures come from Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts in Kenya. Statizoid, drawing on Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/children-who-receive-ors/kenya/

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About this data

Indicator
Share of children with diarrhea receiving oral rehydration salts
Unit
% of children under 5 who received ORS packet
Source
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) and UNICEF, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
96 places, 780 data points, 1985–2021
Last refreshed

The share of children under five years old with diarrhea, in the two weeks prior to the survey, who received oral rehydration salts.