Kakamega County accused of slow response to contain Malaria outbreak

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has accused the county government of being slow in containing an outbreak of Malaria that has killed 12 children in the past one week.

The Senator said shortage of anti-malaria drugs and blood had contributed to the deaths of the children.

A doctor at the ward said the only available drug for treatment of malaria was quinine as other drugs were out stock.

Only seven nurses have been deployed to attend to patients in the wards in shifts.

Mr Khalwale visited the paediatric ward at the Kakamega County Referral Hospital on Saturday where 103 children are admitted.

Some patients have been forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor as the available 53 beds are occupied.

“It is clear there is a serious outbreak of malaria in Kakamega County and the county government needs to urgently buy drugs and bring in more doctors and nurses to respond to the crisis,” said Mr Khalwale.

He said the county government should supply sufficient stocks of malaria drugs to rural health facilities as most patients were seeking treatment at the referral hospital.

He asked Governor Wycliffe Oparanya to use the Sh507 million conditional grant allocated to the county to renovate and equip the hospital.