Two Kisii MCAs have raised concerns about poor sanitation in Kisii town and lack of anti-rabies drugs in health facilities.
Dennis Ombachi of Marani and his Getenga counterpart Samuel Nyambeki demanded answers from the county Health department.
Ombachi said he was saddened by the death of an eight-year-old boy who was bitten by a stray dog. The boy was a pupil at St Ann Getare Primary in his ward.
He was taken to Marani Level-4 Hospital last week but there were no drugs.
“What is saddening is that the fact that the pupil was only eight years and was a gift to his poor family, which had great hopes in him but his dream was cut short...,” Ombachi said.
Ombachi said that before the boy died, he had bitten his mother and his other two siblings, hence infecting them.
“The boy’s mother and his two siblings have yet to receive proper treatment because the family is quite vulnerable. They cannot access treatment because the cost is estimated at Sh17,000,” he said.
He urged the Health Department to come clean on how it supplies anti-rabies and ant-venom drugs to health facilities. He also wants to know whether procurement processes are adhered to.
For his part, Nyambeki said the population in Kisii town is immensely increasing. He sought to know what measures banks, supermarkets, public parks petrol stations have put in place to improve sanitation.
He accused the county government, especially the Directorate of Public Health, of failing to enforce the Public Health Act.
“Laxity to enforce the Act in its entirety has cost the public millions of shillings in treating diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene. According to the WHO, it is estimated that five million people every year die from preventive waterborne diseases due to poor sanitation,” Nyambeki told the House.
(Edited by F'Orieny)
