Fresh cholera outbreak hits Tana River, two reported dead

Amid the ongoing countrywide strike by doctors, a fresh cholera outbreak has been reported has been reported in Malakoteni Village within Garsen Town, Tana River County. Two people have been reported dead with several others showing symptoms of the deadly disease. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A community health worker said more than 10 children from the village are in critical condition.
  • He said said the situation is likely to worsen due to lack of essential medical care in public hospitals.
  • The county’s Health and Sanitation executive Hassan Bare could not be reached for comment.
  • The outbreak comes at a time when health workers are on a nationwide strike leaving many people without access to medical care.

A fresh cholera outbreak has been reported in Tana River County with two people said to have died as a result.

This comes at a time when health workers are on a nationwide strike leaving many people without access to medical care.

A 50-year-old woman and her son are reported to have died from the highly contagious disease in Malakoteni Village within Garsen Town.

A community health worker told Nation that more than 10 children from the village and a similar number of adults in the neighbouring Kajisteni Village, all with cholera symptoms, were in critical condition.

The health worker who declined be named, said the situation is likely to worsen due to lack of essential medical care in public hospitals.

“The situation is bad. As community health workers we are worried with cases being reported to us and the dilemma is that there are no nurses and doctors at Garsen and Ngao Sub-County hospitals to attend to the patients,” said the source.

Other sources in the two affected villages said families have resorted to paying the striking health workers to help them get essential medicines from chemists to treat their loved ones at home.

The county’s Health and Sanitation executive Hassan Bare could not be reached for comment.

Tana River County has been grappling with cholera cases throughout the year in Tana North and Tana Delta Sub-County with approximately 30 deaths having been reported and over 600 people treated and discharged from hospitals.

Tana Delta Sub County Commissioner Mike Kimoko attributed the frequent cholera outbreaks to poor hygiene and blamed public health officers of sleeping on the job.

Mr Kimoko complained that the sub county was poor has very few toilets, with only one out of ten homesteads in some areas having a pit latrine.

He was speaking when he led the sub-county security committee on an impromptu inspection tour of Garsen Town.