By Michael Chepkwony
A child in Nandi County was diagnosed with a disease with symptoms similar to measles sparking fears.
Medical officers said they have sent samples of the child’s blood to Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) to ascertain the disease.
Nandi North District Public Health Officer Eric Terer said the disease was discovered during an initiative to immunise children.
He confirmed that one child was admitted to the hospital while five others were treated and allowed to go home.
Dr Terer said that majority of children from Kabiyet division whose parents were members of Dini ya Roho were not immunised.
Terer told The Standard: “The church’s doctrines prohibit child immunisation. They do not believe in modern medicine and that has forced parents to keep children at home contravening their rights.”
The medical personnel explained that the other children were found with various diseases.
“We were informed by Provincial Administration officials that there was an outbreak of a mysterious disease. We acted fast to prevent an outbreak,” he said.
Terer said they were expecting laboratory results in a week but added that whether the results were positive or not, they would conduct forcible immunisation of children in the region. He explained:
“We learnt through chiefs and village elders that there were children, especially in Cheptuiyet location, that have never been immunised. We have a plan to conduct the exercise for a period of three months.”
Paul Cheruiyot, a Kapsabet-based child rights activist, said that there was need for the Government to take action on Dini ya Roho church leaders, who discourage immunisation and put the lives of children in danger. “The leaders are misleading the congregation, action should be taken against them,” said Cheruiyot.
