• Number of cases since the start of the outbreak stands at 1,007 people.
• Officials said that the only way to ensure the disease does not spread any further was by maintaining high levels of hygiene.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
The national and county government of Garissa are racing against time to ensure that the highly contagious Cholera does spread further.
So far, six people have died, four from refugee camps and two from Dadaab. The case fatality rate stands at o 0.73 per cent.
Number of cases since the start of the outbreak stands at 1,007 people.
Speaking during a joint press briefing in Garissa on the measures taken to control the spread of the disease, Health executive Ahmednadhir Omar said that the advocacy, communication and social mobilisation activities have been activated through public health departments at all levels as well as through National Government Administration officers (NGAO) led by the County Commissioner.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
"I further want to inform members of the public that the County department of Health and UNICEF joint rapid assessment conducted outbreak investigation and identified critical gaps and made recommendations that guided initial outbreak responses in the refugee camps and heightened surveillance in the host population,” Omar said.
He was flanked by county commissioner Boaz Cherutich.
The health officer further revealed that resource mobilisation and other drugs and assorted health and water sanitation and hygiene supplies from partners (UNICEF and KRCS) had been deployed and cholera treatment centers [CTSs] set up at Garissa County Referral Hospital , Saretho Health Centre and Dadaab Subcounty Health Centre and Alinjugur where cases were reported.
The health executive urged members of the public to continue following the guidelines that have been put in place by the ministry saying that they were working closely with their counterparts from the neighbouring Tana River which has equally been affected.
“We have issued guidelines that we expect residents to strictly adhere to. Bottom line is that improved hygiene is what will help in containing the spread of the contentious diseases,” he said.
He commended officials from NGAO led by the county commissioner for closely working with his team since the outbreak of the disease noting that it had in a big way helped in containing it.
On his part, the county commissioner asked local chiefs and deputy county commissioner to continue holding sensitisation meetings in their respective areas.
"I have instructed chiefs and their assistants to move door to door to sensitize residents on hygiene with the help of local elders," he said.
Cherutich on Wednesday paid a visit to the refugee camps together with the regional commissioner James Kianda where they held discussions with UNHCR and National Government Administration officers.
They said that the only way to ensure the disease does not spread any further was by maintaining high levels of hygiene.
"Sensitisation and community engagements have been held and some more are being planned to be held across the county in all the refugee camps and subcounties where the community members are to be sensitised on Cholera mode of transmission, prevention and control measures,” he said.
Other affected counties include Nairobi, Kiambu, Nakuru, Uasin-Gishu, Kajiado, Murang’a, Machakos, Meru and Nyeri.