Let accident on sodium cyanide be an eye-opener

Sodium cyanide cylinders dumped a few metres from where lorry ferrying them overturned in Kambembe, Rironi. [Kimaku Chege, Standard]

In the last four days after an accident involving a truck carrying toxic sodium cyanide, there have been knee-jerk responses to this incident that has all the hallmarks of a huge health disaster.

It is unclear why such high-risk cargo being transported from Uganda to Congo strayed into Kenya, if a border customs check was done and why protocols in moving such toxic chemicals had been disregarded.

Uganda, which is a signatory to the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, is yet to speak on the incident even as the Kenyan government officials scurry to bring the situation under control.

Reports indicate that 16 cylinders of sodium cyanide that were looted at the accident site in Rironi, Kiambu County, are yet to be located. This means that more local residents are now exposed to high health risk associated to contact with the toxic chemical. Exposure and percolation of the chemical into the soils in the area could affect farms and food chain hence spread the risk further.

The accident has once again exposed the country's underbelly on disaster preparedness. Although the Ministry of Environment has the National Chemicals Policy in place, not much targeted response has been seen since the accident happened.

Nobody knows whether National Disaster Operation Centre had established a unit to ensure incidences arising out of exposure to dangerous chemicals are adequately handled.

It is disheartening that even first responders to the accident site did not have personal protection equipment, a pointer that they may not have comprehended the magnitude of the disaster they were dealing with. This explains why the public that is gravely exposed is yet grasp the magnitude of the threat too.

The government should ensure the National Chemicals Policy's plan to establish and strengthen Poison Centres in all Level Four hospitals is implemented to help victims affected by such disasters.

Those who may have looted the toxic cargo should know they are courting disaster. The public should shun this proclivity for looting in accident scenes.