Heavy rains hamper Cholera response efforts in Garissa

Garissa County executive committee member in charge of health Ahmednathir Omar with three members county assembly Health committee when the vehicle they were travelling in got stuck while they were on their way to assess cholera outbreak that claimed three lives in the county. PHOTO | ABDIMALIK HAJIR | NATION MEDIA GROUP

Three more people have succumbed to cholera in Garissa County as heavy rains render roads impassable hampering response efforts, officials say.

Two people died last week in Balambala, county officials say.

Garissa County executive committee member in charge of Health Ahmednathir Omar said the latest victims in Saka were too weak by the time response team were attending to them.

He said the latest victims in Saka were too weak by the time response team were attending to them adding that all the victims comes from rural areas in Balambala sub-county.

Mr Omar’s vehicle and that county Health committee chairman got stuck in the mud on Friday while they were way to Saka to assess the situation.

He said the county dispatched more medical supplies and staff to Saka and other affected areas to support the response interventions.

The team he said have also engaged Imams and local chiefs in a bid to sensitise locals to observe hygiene during this rainy season.

"We are optimistic we will contained as we did it in some other areas in the county," he said.