County governments have been advised to improve their disaster management preparedness to enable them respond rapidly to disease outbreaks such as cholera.
According to Davis & Shirtliff Group Chief Executive Officer, David Gatende, quick response will help to limit the
disease consequences.
“We need to improve disease surveillance to obtain better data for risk assessment and early detection of cases, including establishment of an active surveillance system,” said the CEO.
He noted that over the past few weeks, residents in Nairobi, Kajiado and Machakos counties are reported to have been consuming or may have been exposed to contaminated water, leading to an unprecedented increase in cases of diarrhoea and cholera.
Cholera is an acute infection caused by the ingestion of water or food contaminated with bacterium. It is closely linked to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
In a press statement sent to newsrooms on Thursday, Gatende noted that there is also need for health workers to provide information to residents on risks of cholera, precautions to avoid infection, cholera symptoms, and when and where to report when the symptoms develop.
He urged Kenyans to practice hand hygiene especially before touching eyes, nose, mouth, and after using the toilet or touching objects at high risk of being contaminated, adding that people should only consume food and water from known safe sources.
The Davis & Shirtliff Group is a supplier of water and energy equipment in the East African region, and has branches in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Rwanda, South Sudan, DRC and a partnership in Ethiopia.
By Bernadette Khaduli
