Hunger kills four in Marsabit as 70 malnutrition cases reported

Four people have died of hunger in Marsabit while 70 others are suffering from malnutrition as effects of ravaging drought are felt across the county.

The four deaths have been reported in Dukana, North Horr Sub-county while the 70 cases of malnutrition have been confirmed in El Hadi.

Speaking to the Nation.co.ke, Balesaro sub-location assistant chief Gufu Orge said four cases were reported at Dukana police station.

"At the moment we only have four cases, which have been reported to be as a result of the drought," he said.

According to Kevin Wafula — a nurse at El Hadi dispensary — there are many cases of diarrhoea and malnutrition affecting both children and adults in the region.

"The people we receive and treat cut across all ages. Many expect that children and elderly people are the most vulnerable but I have seen even middle aged men and women get malnourished," said Mr Wafula.

In one such case on Monday, he said he had admitted a 50-year-old woman for the third time diagnosed with malnutrition and hypoglycaemia, a condition caused by a person staying for a long period of starvation and lack of a balanced diet.

Mr Wafula said that she might have been denying herself the little food she got for the sake of her five children.

"… her condition is getting worse…we referred her to the district hospital but she could not go due to lack of resources. To get an ambulance from here to Kalacha costs about Sh18,000," said Mr Wafula.

To him, the dispensary cannot offer much as it has not received supplements for children, lactating mothers and the elderly adding that the nearest available ambulance serving them would only be borrowed 47km away — in Dukana or Balesa.

"Last week we screened children and found 70 cases of malnutrition but we can do nothing unless they find help or we send them to other hospitals where they will get the supplements," he said.