Cholera Outbreak Puts Kajiado On High Alert

Written By Vanessa Kariuki

Kajiado County is on high alert since the Ministry of Health issued a cholera epidemic notice on October 19.

61 cases were verified in six counties—Kiambu (31), Nairobi (17), Murang’a (1), Kajiado (2), Nakuru (2), and Uasin Gishu.

Alex Kilowua, County Executive Member for Health, stated that the county has increased monitoring and is on high alert to deal with epidemics.

Speaking in Kajiado on Tuesday, Kilowua disclosed that all health facilities in the county have improved their Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs in order to guarantee the cholera outbreak is contained.

In order to contain the outbreak, he said, “We have tightened the supply of WASH in all our health facilities as well as our surveillance through the County Disease Surveillance unit.”

The cholera epidemic was linked to a wedding celebration in Kiambu County, according to the acting Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth.

Thirteen of the 61 cases that were recorded have been hospitalized, eight have been released, and 40 are being treated as outpatients.

Dr. Amoth issued a warning that the prolonged drought in the nation could make the outbreak worse.

“Noteworthy, the ongoing drought situation in the country may worsen the outbreak. It is therefore the ministry’s decision to put all counties on high alert for possible cholera outbreaks,” Amoth said.

He added,” In order to control the outbreak, all county and sub-county health management teams have been instructed to keep an eye out for patients exhibiting symptoms of watery diarrhoea and to actively search for cases of acute watery diarrhoea in hospitals and throughout the community that may have gone unreported or missed.”

Additionally, the team is expected to increase disease surveillance efforts down to the village level and guarantee 100% case-based reporting, increase laboratory staff participation in disease surveillance for prompt confirmation, and make sure that all medical personnel are aware of the case definition and are sensitized to potential Cholera outbreaks.

Other measures include creating a suitable preparedness and response plan for sub-counties to stop the spread of any potential outbreak and plan for long-term contact tracing, ensuring isolation of cholera cases if admitted in the wards, and enhancing community awareness of safe water practices, latrine use, and prompt treatment for diarrhoea cases.