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Cholera vaccination blunder leaves two hospitalised in Kericho

Health & Science
  Litein Mission Hospital in Kericho.

Two members of Litein Mission Hospital catering department are admitted at the facility after a Cholera vaccination exercise at the hospital took a bizarre turn.

A nurse at the hospital is said to have injected some 16 patients with medicine that she was supposed to administer orally.

At least 14 other members of the catering department at the health facility who also received the injection, were treated and discharged from the hospital in Bureti Constituency. 

The mission hospital’s director Joshua Tonui said the ‘medical mistake’ occurred during the second round of the staff vaccination exercise. 

"When the oral cholera vaccination arrived, a nurse missed to read the instructions and the medicine ended up being administered to the catering staff, intramuscular instead of per oral," he said. 

Tonui, said that once the mistake was discovered, all the affected members of the catering department were immediately hospitalised. 

 "Most of them were vomiting but were treated and discharged. The two patients who were still complaining of dizziness are still under observation at the hospital ward," he said. 

One of the admitted patients suffered complications due to being diabetic whereas the other is diagnosed with borderline blood pressure. 

Tonui, added that they had summoned the individuals who had placed the lives of the members of the catering department at risk for an emergency meeting. 

"We held lengthy deliberations over the matter whereby the concerned party expressed remorse. The good thing is that most of the discharged members of the catering department who received the injection are back to their work station," he said. 

Since January, cases of cholera outbreaks have been reported in Narok, Kajiado, Nairobi, Garissa and Machakos Counties.

As of April 1, a cumulative total of 1, 198 cases including four deaths were reported in the counties.

The best way of preventing cholera is through vaccinations which Kenya has had for the past decade.

An oral vaccine, under the brand name Shanchol, was declared safe and effective by the World Health Organization.

The global health body said in a report that the vaccine is prequalified and licensed in over 60 countries.

Experts say the vaccine should be used in conjunction with other prevention and control strategies in areas where the disease is endemic and should be considered in areas at risk for outbreaks.

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