The Ministry of Health, in partnership with selected county governments, plans to carry out a survey to ascertain the prevalence of bilharzia and intestinal worms among residents.
Dr. Florence Wakesho, the Ministry’s Medical Parasitology Expert, has said schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzia, and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, commonly known as intestinal worms, are among the highly endemic Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the country.
“In Kenya, 17.4 million people are at risk of being infected with bilharzia,” she said, adding that the country has, however, over ten neglected tropical diseases that are common within the various endemic counties.
Dr. Wakesho said 32 counties, including Murang’a, Nairobi, and other counties drawn from the Central, Rift Valley, Eastern, and North Eastern, will be carrying out the survey.
“We are looking to understand, especially for bilharzia and intestinal worms, the distribution of these diseases and to understand who are affected by these diseases in the 32 selected counties in Kenya,” said Wakesho.
She said the data findings from the survey will enable the government to make informed decisions and policy making in regards to prioritising intervention measures in identified areas that are prevalent to NTDs.
“Some of the measures will include mass drug administration, water sanitation and hygiene, and incorporating behavior change communication within health intervention measures,” she noted.
Speaking in Murang’a County during a mapping and validation exercise, Wakesho said in Murang’a that the survey will kick-start in June and will be carried out among school-going children within the seven sub-counties in the county.
“Bilharzia is a chronic illness that can seriously damage the internal organs. In children, it can lead to reduced growth and problems with cognitive developments,” she added.
“The numbers of infections can be rising because of the trends of the diseases, and that is what we want to evaluate and know the true burden of these diseases,” said Wakesho, who is also the Ministry’s schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis Programme manager.
She divulged that neglected tropical diseases aren’t just a health issue. They have profound social and economic impacts, hampering educational achievement and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
According to the WHO, bilharzia affects almost 240 million people worldwide, and more than 700 million people live in endemic areas. The infection is prevalent in tropical and sub-tropical areas, in poor communities without potable water and adequate sanitation.
Wakesho said these diseases have been termed neglected because, most people who are affected by them come from very poor communities. In that respect, they probably lack resources that will enable them to get medication, and that is why they continue to remain neglected.
She divulged that the Ministry has put in place a comprehensive strategic document to ensure that they are aligned with the World Health Organization (WHO) roadmap, where we are looking at eliminating NTDs by 2030.
Murang’a County Disease Surveillance Coordinator Chris Mwangi said that these tropical neglected diseases are mostly affecting the poor communities in the county.
Mwangi said five types of neglected tropical diseases, including jiggers, bilharzia, intestinal worms, snakebites, and rabies, are affecting the county.
“These diseases happen to affect mostly the poor communities in our county,” he said, adding that as a department, they have put measures in place to curb the spread of these diseases.
He observed that there is a change in livelihood in the communities as some sections of the locals have started rice farming in some areas in Kiharu sub-county, which makes some people susceptible to diseases like bilharzia.
“We also have a number of water ponds dug in our agricultural farms for water harvesting, making our community at risk of contracting these diseases,” he said, adding that they have been conducting deworming exercises on school-going children as one of the preventive measures to keep diseases like bilharzia at bay.
Mwangi lauded the efforts by the Ministry of Health in trying to map out the most affected areas in the county by carrying out a survey to know the magnitude of prevalence and monitor these diseases.
“We appreciate the efforts made by the Ministry, and we believe this exercise will guide the county government and the health department on the intervention measures that they need to take to eradicate NTDs,” he said.
By Anita Omwenga
