Concerns have been raised over cases of Kalaazar disease patients being recorded in pastoral communities, greatly affecting children under the age of 15 years.
Speaking at Kacheliba Health Centre, which has a Kalaazar treatment centre, Community Mobiliser Isaac Nyeris stated that the disease is quite elusive, and it takes about three weeks to manifest itself, thus interrupting children’s education.
“Children, and especially school-going ones under the age of 15, are forced to drop out of school after being infected by the deadly tropical disease,” said Nyeris.
Stakeholders are now calling on parents and guardians to be more vigilant, especially during this period where learning activities have resumed.
West Pokot County Coordinator for Neglected Diseases John Lotodo hinted that the county leads in cases of Kalaazar (Leshmaniasis) disease, and measures have to be put in place to avert the situation.
Lotodo said the disease is treatable, calling on parents to ensure their children undergo routine screening for the parasitic disease, which is the second most fatal after malaria.
Kalaazar disease, or teremes in the Pokot language, is considered a ‘disease of poverty’ and is associated with malnutrition, population displacements, conflicts, and environmental changes.
By Richard Muhambe
