Cholera takes toll as 31 fall ill in city

The number of cholera patients admitted at the Kenyatta National Hospital rose to 31 on Monday, causing fears of an epidemic in Nairobi.

While 16 were inmates from Kamiti Maximum Security Prison, 15 others had been brought from Kayole and Dandora slums, according to Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka.

And Public Health minister Beth Mugo said 59 other inmates were being treated for diarrhoea.

On Monday, Mr Musyoka said the outbreak should be considered a national epidemic since the disease had also killed some people in Lodwar.

“It seems like there is a cholera outbreak in the country,” the VP said yesterday at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison after visiting inmates being treated at the prison’s hospital.

He urged Kenyans to observe hygienic practices like washing their hands and boiling water before drinking to prevent further spread of the disease.

The Director for Public Health, Dr Shanaz Shariff, said 11 samples from the prison had been taken for testing and three had tested positive for cholera.

And Mr Musyoka blamed the spread of the disease and the deaths of the inmates on inadequate medical facilities and congestion in the prison.

“What we have here is not attractive and is not sufficient for a maximum prison like this. There was no fluid to administer to patients,” he said.

And Mrs Mugo said the outbreak at Kamiti was caused by a new inmate who had been transferred there. However, this could not be verified independently.

Each block at Kamiti is allocated a day when sick inmates can seek medical attention. Inmates in G Block and Isolation, which hold hardcore criminals are only allowed medical attention on Mondays while E Block and F block can only visit the prison hospital on Tuesdays. Wednesdays are reserved for prisoners in Block A and B while Thursdays are set for inmates in block D and C.

Convicts condemned to death can only seek medical attention on Fridays.

Meanwhile, most murder hearings and appeals at the Nairobi law courts could not proceed on Monday after inmates from Kamiti failed to turn up.

Warders from the prison said the inmates could not be taken to court because their movement had been restricted due to cholera outbreak.

A number of inmates had matters pending at the Court of Appeal while others had cases at the High Court.

The cases that proceeded involved inmates from other institutions, such as Lang’ata and Industrial Area prisons.

As the government team was touring the prison, new patients were being taken into the prison’s hospital. Health workers could be seen spraying the compound with disinfectants.

Security officers positioned strategically on rooftops and watchtowers, with others on the ground, maintained security during the VP’s visit.

And for the second day, anxious relatives camped at the prison’s gate, eager to be allowed to see their remanded or imprisoned relatives to confirm whether they were well, sick or dead.

However, security officers could not allow them in. Neither did they inform them of the state of their loved ones.

“We just want to be allowed to see our relatives and know how they are,” said Ms Jane Mwaura, whose son has been remanded at the prison.

Reported by Paul Juma, Sam Kiplagat and Joy Wanja