Alarm over Hepatitis-A infection in Primary schools

By Antony Gitonga                             

Naivasha, KENYA: A crisis meeting has been called in Naivasha after samples taken from one of the largest primary schools turned to be Hepatitis-A positive.

The meeting with all head teachers and proprietors of all public and private primary schools was called to address the issue of congestion and health standards.

An inspection report conducted by public health officers painted a grim picture on the conditions of schools with majority failing to meet the set standards.

Naivasha district public health officer Samuel King’ori, noted that an inspection conducted by his officers had identified congestion as the leading problem facing public schools.

“We have called a meeting with all heads of school so that we can address the challenges that have emerged and need urgent attention,” he said.

Speaking in his office, King’ori pointed to lack of water and inadequate latrines as some of the challenges that had emerged following the inspection exercise.

“In all the public schools we have inspected, it has emerged that over 60 students are sharing one toilet against the set standards of 30 per latrine,” he said.

He gave an example of Milimani and DEB primary schools which had 2,500 students against 80 latrines and 1665 students against 28 latrines respectively. 

Meanwhile, the department of public health has outlawed the vending of water by minors in Naivasha town and its environment. 

The department expressed its concern over the increase in the number of minors involved in selling water in the lakeside town.

Issuing the directive King’ori said that they were alarmed by the number of minors acting as water vendors.

“No minor should be allowed to sell water in the streets as this is against the law and anyone ignoring this will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

He announced a major medical examination on all the water vendors in the town as one way of fighting disease outbreaks in the area. 

“All the vendors will receive a free typhoid vaccine and anyone who misses out will be locked out from conducting this business,” he said.

King’ori said that they had noticed that the vendors were using their mouths to siphon water before transferring it to consumers.