Cholera deaths in Western Kenya hit eight

  1. Posted on Friday 3 September 2010 - 10:20
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    Okoth Oluoch, AfricaNews reporter in Kisumu, Kenya
    The death toll from cholera outbreak in Migori and Kuria West district about five hundred kilometers west of Nairobi has now hit eight after three more people succumbed to the disease.
    kenya map
    According to the Nyanza Provincial Director of Medical Services Dr. Ojwang Lusi whose province covers the two districts, 146 people had since been treated and discharged while another eighty were still receiving treatment in various hospitals and health facilities within the region.

    “The Ministry is doing all it can to make sure that it contains the disease” He said adding that already, a number of health officials had been sent to the worse affected areas.

    The disease, which broke out two weeks ago in Kuria West district along the Kenyan Tanzania border has been blamed on lack of clean drinking water as well as lack of toilets in the region. Among those who have died include an elderly Tanzanian national.

    And following the outbreak, Tanzanian health officials have been put on high alert at the border point between them and Kenya to stop the disease from spreading into the country.

    However, Dr. Lusi remained confident that the medical officers on the ground will be able to deal with the disease and that it will not be spreading to other parts of the region.

    “We are confident of containing the disease” He said at the same time dismissing reports that there were insufficient drugs in a number of health facilities in the regions.

    Meanwhile, a section of the residents have called on the government to seek lasting solution to the constant cases of cholera in the southern Nyanza region and the region surrounding Lake Victoria.

    According to Mr. Evance Owiti, it was shame that the government only struggled to control the disease after it broke out while they did nothing when all the signs pointed to a breakout.

    He pointed out at the settlement by most of the locals by the river banks, lack of clean drinking water as well as lack of toilets as the major reasons for the regular cholera in the regions.

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