Cholera outbreak claims 14 lives in a week

By Vitalis Kimutai

Fourteen people have died in one week following a cholera outbreak in Pokot.

More than 115 patients are also admitted to two health facilities.

Three victims succumbed to the disease on Saturday at Chepareria Sub-District Hospital and Chepkobe Health Centre.

At Chepareria there are 104 patients, including ten children, while another nine are at Chepkobe.

Most patients have been forced to share beds, as the hospitals do not usually admit patients.

Local Medical Officer of Health Sammy Osore said the health facilities were overstretched and warned medical supplies were running out.

Official figures

Local leaders led by former MP Samuel Moroto and County Council chairman Johnson Losirian said many people had succumbed to the disease in the villages.

"The numbers given by Government officials are of the patients who have succumbed to the disease while in hospital.

"There are others not accounted for as they died in villages and have since been buried," Mr Moroto said.

Nursing Officer in Charge at Chepareria Hospital Julia Sipoti said some patients had been treated and discharged, but the number of those being admitted was increasing.

"We have less staff to deal with the cases but in the circumstances, we are doing our best," Ms Sipoti said.

The patients suffer from vomiting and diarrhoea and most of them have been put on drips.

Flood water

Flash floods have worsened the outbreak. DCs Joseph Motari (Pokot North), Jeremiah Were (Pokot Central) and Allan Machari (West Pokot) separately said the Government was doing all it can to contain the outbreak.

In December last year, cholera killed more than 200 people in one ot the worst outbreak. The outbreak also claimed several inmates and slum dwellers in Kibera.

The outbreak was worsened by a water shortage occassioned by a pro-longed drought across the country. Cholera symptoms include severe diarrhoea where the body loses water at a high rate.

The disease flourishes in unhygenic conditions and people are advised to wash hands regularly, especially before eating. It is also advisable to drink clean water and cook food properly to kill germs.