Narok TB patient gets one year for failing to take medicine

A Narok Court yesterday jailed a tuberculosis (TB) patient for one year for repeatedly failing to take medication, thereby infecting his wife and five children.

Parkuito ole Sankok was also fined Sh30,000 or a further six months imprisonment in default.

Mr Sankok had been arraigned before Senior Resident Magistrate Allan Temba Sitati and charged with failing to take his medication. Sitati ordered for an immediate trial due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The accused pleaded guilty and asked for leniency but Sitati ruled that he had unlawfully refused to take medication while fully aware that the disease was contagious, thereby risking other people's lives.

Narok Sub-County TB and Leprosy Co-ordinator Jackline Chepletine told the court that the accused was diagnosed with the disease in 2012 but he interrupted treatment.

He resurfaced in June last year and was once again put under medication.

In November, it was discovered he had developed a Multi-Drug Resistant (MDR) strain of TB due to his absconding and his treatment changed from regular to multi-drug treatment which is more costly.

He was advised to remain in isolation to avoid infecting the family, an offer he declined but promised to comply with the nine-month mono-drug treatment given to patients with one strain of resistance.

The court was told the patient took the drugs until April, when he started to interrupt medication again and at one point he started using alcohol, which is prohibited.The accused has 14 days to appeal the verdict.