Naivasha witnesses spike in ENT infections linked to flower farms

ENT infections are on the rise in Naivasha.[File,Standard]

Cases of Ear, nose and throat (ENT) infections are on the rise in Naivasha, with flower farm workers and minors being the hardest hit.

The rise in cases has been attributed to chemicals used on farms, cold, dusty conditions around the lakeside town, and the dumpiness around Lake Naivasha.

This came as it emerged that a lack of specialists had, in the past, affected early diagnosis, timely treatment, and good diagnosis.

This emerged during the official opening of the ultra-modern Rift View Specialist Centre in Naivasha, a one-stop facility where all health specialists are housed under one roof.

According to the centre CEO, Dr Jonah Manjari, the prevalence rate of ENT infections in Naivasha was high, mainly among flower farm workers.

Manjari, an ENT specialist, noted that this was due to reactions to chemicals used in the flower farms around the town.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Manjari added that the town's proximity to Nyandarua, which is generally cold, had also contributed to the high number of cases.

“The chemicals used in the farms, plus the cold from Nyandarua, have an effect, and children are snoring because of the inflammation of the adenoids and tonsils,” he said.

At the Centre, Manjari added that several specialists had come together to offer services to the community, with all services available.

“We will also be installing an  MRI machine in this facility to offer other services that are not offered in this town,” he said.

On his part, the facility Chairman, Dr Daniel Somba, said that there were 25 specialists and consultants offering services across different fields.

He noted that for years,  residents of Naivasha had been forced to travel to nearby towns of Nairobi and Nakuru to seek specialised treatment.

“It's easier to bring a surgeon here to see 100 patients than take 100 patients in Nairobi to be seen by the surgeon, and that’s why we brought a state-of-the-art facility and all specialists to Naivasha,” he said.

Somba, who is a radiologist, added that the facility was now receiving referrals, meaning the turnaround time for identifying complex diagnoses had been shortened.

A dentist, Dr Gladys Maina, decried the high incidence of dental fluorosis in the town due to elevated fluoride levels in the water consumed by residents.

“There is a menace of fluorosis in Naivasha and surrounding areas simply because there's a lot of fluoride in the water, and this problem is now escalating to areas beyond Naivasha,” she said.