Alarm over fast spread of killer cholera bacteria
Story by PETER NG’ETICH and EDWARD KOECH
Publication Date: 2007/04/11
A nationwide alert has been sounded following the death of 10 people from cholera in the expansive West Pokot district. This week, residents of the area are preparing to bury the 10.
Local health facilities are grappling with a high number of patients, following revelations that 76 people have been infected with the killer disease in Sigor division.
REMEDIAL MEASURES: Acting Rift Valley provincial medical officer Simon Kibias, with nurse Mary Okumu, at Ortum Mission Hospital in Sigor, West Pokot district. Many patients have been diagnosed with diarrhoea and vomiting. Photos/JARED NYATAYA
Ten people are already in Ortum Mission Hospital, Sigor and Marich Health Centres — straining medical facilities. Four others are in Ortum, one in Sigor and four in Marich.
Shocked by the quick spread of the disease, health authorities have ordered the closure of all eating joints in the area and asked residents to be very careful over the foods and drinks they consume.
The Health ministry has also announced plans to conduct an aggressive campaign to educate people on ways of preventing cholera.
Among those who have succumbed to the disease are Rhoda Demokwang, Benjamin Rotich Kikon, Chebochembus Ngalekong, Chemarian Lokorinyang and Tomonyang Lotiluk.
Only one case
However, acting Rift Valley provincial medical officer Simon Kibias said cholera had been confirmed in only one of the admitted patients.
He said specimens had been sent to the ministry of Health’s central laboratory and the Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, for further analysis.
Dr Kibias, who was accompanied by the province’s public health officer, Mr Isaac Ruto, and the West Pokot district medical health officer, Dr Evans Kiprotich, said diarrhoea had been detected in most of the 76 cases.
Residents fear that the deaths will increase since health facilities are scarce. People travel for more than 100 kilometres to get treatment.
A private animal health technician, Mr Wilson Cheguruk, said the ragged terrain of the area made it hard for many critically ill people to reach hospital.
Few and far between
Health facilities are few and far between. Some patients succumb to the disease before they get medical help, he said.
Mr Ruto said hotels in Marich and Sigor were ordered closed to prevent transmission of the disease.
Residents should stop bathing in Muruny River, he said, adding that only boiled water and milk should be taken. Food should be eaten only after it was well cooked and while still hot.
Mr Ruto said movement of people should be restricted as the disease spreads fast and kills in a very short time.
Dr Kiprotich said they would launch a two-week campaign to sensitise residents on the disease.
The campaigns would mainly be in Marich, Sigor, Wakor, Weiwei, Chepkobeh and Korelach.
They will teach people on how to have clean pit latrines to stop the spread of the disease by flies.
Last week, district commissioner Loyford Kibaara toured the affected villages and ordered the closure of Sigor, Lomut and Chesogon open-air markets until the situation is brought under control.
He told residents to boil drinking water, adding that chlorine would be supplied to them to help in treating water for domestic use.
The first case of the disease was reported on March 26 in the semi-arid area. Getting clean water in the district is very hard. Many villagers depend on the perennial Muruny River.
The area is dry and hot. The residents are mainly pastoralists. They water their livestock in Muruny River, besides using it for their own sustenance. Frequently, people swim and bath in the river. Although there are three boreholes, two of them have broken down. The one which is functioning is in Masol village, about 17 kilometres from Marich where the first case of the disease was reported.
Many residents do not draw water from the borehole, saying it is located far away. They wholly depend on the river. The other non-functional boreholes are in Sigor and Marich trading centres.
Mr Cheguruk said the Government should set up a treatment plant to provide clean drinking water to locals.
“The community needs more education on these issues. We should not be entirely blamed for drinking water from the river as we have no alternative,” he said.
Ms Stela Puti, 26, who is at Ortum Hospital, said many villagers do not boil water from the river, however contaminated the sources are.
“Water from the river is dangerous as people bathe in it and animals drink it. But the borehole that should be serving us has broken down.”
Unreported cases
Local councillor Joseph Chepotpot said many more people could have died from the disease in remote areas of the expansive district, and their cases unreported.
Medics say affected people should first be re-dehydrated orally before they are offered treatment on arrival to hospital.
Initially, patients develop watery diarrhoea, vomiting and fever. The disease is caused by bacteria.
Patients’ skins become pale and dry, while the eyes appear sunken. They also lose a lot of water.
Dr Kibias says tetracycline and azithromycin are some of the medicines used to treat cholera patients. The drugs have been supplied in adequate quantities to Sigor and Marich health centres. If need be, they will be similarly supplied to Ortum hospital.
