14th October, 2009
Kenya’s Public Health Minister Beth Mugo has issued a new cholera alert and urged Kenyans to observe hygiene. The outbreak, which has affected parts of North Eastern, Eastern, Rift Valley and Nairobi provinces, has killed 48 people.
"In one month we have experienced new cases of Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD). Some 3,872 cases have been reported out of which 89 have been confirmed as cholera in the laboratory," Mrs Mugo said in a statement.
Areas affected are Kilifi, Nairobi, Turkana, Kitui, Mbooni, Makueni, Kipkelion and Laisamis Garbatulla.
Lack of water
The ministry has attributed the outbreak of Cholera to water scarcity due to biting drought affecting most parts of
the country and poor sanitation due to low number of pit latrines with latrine coverage standing at 5 per cent in parts of the country. According to the Minister, the lower Eastern cases are attributed to drying up of water sources like Athi and Tana," she said.
In response, the Government with Non-Governmental Organisation partners like AMREF is giving technical and financial support to affected districts, supplying drugs and availing clean water to the affected. The Government has also banned food hawking and closed unsanitary food premises. Mugo assured the public that the Government will enhance management of new cases at all public health facilities.
This is yet another challenge that Kenya’s weak health systemsare being forced to cope with.
Cholera kills nine in Turkana
According to AMREF’s Programme Manager Peter Ofware, nine people are reported dead and others hospitalised following a cholera outbreak in Turkana districts.
“The figures from the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation indicate that, so far in Kenya’s Turkana North there are approximately 247 acute watery diarrhoea cases with 36 confirmed cholera and 9 deaths. In the Turkana West area there are a total of 9 cases of diarrhoea, with 3 confirmed
cholera cases and 1 death,” he added.
Turkana West Medical Officer of Health Dr Donald Mogoi said that three victims succumbed in Kalobeyei location, about 30km from the Kakuma refugee camp. 13 other residents tested positive for cholera and were admitted at the Kakuma Mission Hospital.
"Some of the cholera victims admitted to the hospital were treated and discharged," he said.
There are fears the disease might spread to neighbouring villages in Kakuma and the refugee camp following an acute water shortage but government officials have denied an outbreak in the camp.
Residents are being provided with clean water and are being urged to report any suspected cases of AWD.
The AMREF Turkana project team together with the Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation are monitoring the situation very closely. They are carrying out disease surveillance to combat further outbreak. In Turkana, AMREF is also providing staff, medicines, transport, community education, clean water and even fuel for pumping water as an emergency measure.
(See related story “The People That Time Forgot”)
