The Ministry of Health (MOH), in collaboration with the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), has activated contingency measures to prevent the outbreak and spread of cholera in Nyando Sub-County, Kisumu County.
Nyando Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Elijah Maranga led a multi-sectoral team in a public sensitization forum on Wednesday morning as part of heightened efforts to combat cholera in the flood-prone sub-county.
The move follows reports of three deaths on Tuesday, suspected to have resulted from acute profuse diarrhea, prompting authorities to strengthen surveillance and prevent a potential cholera outbreak.
The deceased include a one-year-old child from Kakmie village and two siblings-a 25-year-old male and a 13-year-old female from Kobong’o village in Onjiko location. All succumbed on Tuesday after a short illness, exhibiting similar symptoms.
“The main cause of diarrhea in this region is consumption of contaminated water due to rampant open defecation. Let us build pit latrines in every home, church, and public space to avoid a public health crisis,” Maranga stressed.
Ruth Ojuka, Nyando Sub-County Community Health Focal person lamented that the people still live without safely managed sanitation, with majority still practicing open defecation.
“We recently conducted a transect walk in Kogola and Kowino villages, and the outcome was worrying. In Kogola, for instance, only 37 homes out of 106 households had access to safe and hygienic toilets,” Ojuka revealed.
The lack of proper toilets, she added, means that locals are forced to defecate outside, posing a significant public health concern.
Philip Adingo, Public Health Officer at MOH, urged community members to take their loved ones to health facilities immediately if they experience diarrhea symptoms.
He encouraged locals to treat water before drinking, maintain high standards of cleanliness, and adhere to Ministry of Health guidelines, including regular hand washing.
By Robert Ojwang’
