Competing activities such as the drought response in cholera high-risk counties are posing a challenge to the health teams.
This comes even as the Ministry of Health data showed 99 people have died as a result of the ongoing outbreak that has so far affected 17 counties.
The ministry has however finalized a national cholera response plan that will act as a resource mobilization tool to implement priority response activities.
A total of 6,391 cases have been reported in the country; 3,255 being men and 3,136 women.
The ministry in the latest situational report said counties have adequate capacity to undertake the relevant cholera tests while the National Public Health Laboratories provide additional support to the counties in testing samples as well as undertaking quality assurance.
“Currently, cholera cases are being managed as inpatients at cholera treatment units established in affected counties,” the ministry report says.
"The ministry of water, sanitation and irrigation is unblocking blocked sewer lines in Nairobi county and has also planned to sink three boreholes in Garissa, Wajir and Tana River counties,” it adds.
The ministry has admitted that the inadequate capacity of healthcare workers trained in cholera case management in the affected counties has also been a challenge in the response exercise.
According to the ministry, inadequate resources especially a lack of laboratory reagents to facilitate critical response pillars are limiting response capacity in detecting, investigating and following up on cases.
The report recommends intra-action review meetings with affected counties to evaluate the outbreak situation, and the gaps identified and share best practices.
“The measures being implemented include hand washing, sterilization of linen and other hospital equipment. Human waste is decontaminated before releasing to sewer lines, septic tanks and pit latrines.”
