Nairobi on high alert over fears of cholera outbreak in Kiambu

Nairobi county is on high alert over reports of a possible cholera outbreak in the neighbouring Kiambu county.

The Health ministry on Thursday said the reports have been received but tests are ongoing to confirm whether there is an outbreak.

"We are waiting to see whether this is indeed an outbreak from the outcome of the tests. This is information that is just happening but we shall know very soon," Health CAS Rashid Aman said.

He said the ministry is ready to work with the counties to be able to arrest the situation should the tests confirm an outbreak.

"Right now we have been notified by Kiambu and we are waiting for the ministry of health to do the confirmations,” former director of health services at NMS Ouma Oluga said.

"As at now, we are tackling some other issues, we have the threat of cholera here in Nairobi, in 2018 we had outbreaks of cholera,” he added.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.

Symptoms in the early stages of infection include profuse watery diarrhea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, loss of skin elasticity, dry mucous membranes, low blood pressure, thirst, muscle cramps and restlessness or irritability.

The infection is often mild or without symptoms, but can sometimes be severe and life-threatening.

The ministry in May announced an outbreak of cholera in Nairobi’s Kamukunji region.

Cholera outbreaks have been attributed to failure by Kenyans to adhere to simple hygienic measures such as hand washing.

People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with cholera bacteria.

The health officers spoke in Kibera during the launch of a water desalination plant at Kibera Level 3 hospital.

The plant is among the 28 solar water desalination plants installed in various hospitals across the country by WaterKiosk, a young Nairobi-based company in partnership with DEG and Boreal Light.

The solar water desalination machines were installed in these facilities, varying from 2,000 liters up to 10,000 liters per hour in bigger hospitals, to supply the facilities with enough hygiene water for their use.

"Apart from the health facilities facing a challenge accessing clean water for their renal unit, patients had challenges too," WaterKiosk managing director Samuel Kinyanjui said.

"Family members had to bring water to them which is not only inconveniencing, but also painful and sad. Now the hospitals are benefiting from these desalination machines free of charge and patience are accessing the same water at absolute no cost," he added.

The solar desalination systems are powered by a 450kwp and require no chemicals to treat water.

Further, the 28 solar water desalination plants sterilise waste water coming out of different departments prior to disposal to the environment and together offset over 10,000 ton of C02 emission annually, being a great role model of climate mitigation practices in Africa.