Nairobi City County has established a task force to handle the ongoing floods situation and fully activated the Nairobi City County Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) to ensure efficient coordination.
Nairobi City County Disaster Management Chief Officer Bramwel Simiyu said that the floods situation has led to a significant displacement of households, with an estimated 20,968 households affected, and impacting approximately 147,061 individuals.
He explained that currently, efforts to address the crisis are underway with the establishment of 16 camps spread across seven Sub-counties, namely Mathare, Starehe, Ruaraka, Roysambu, Kasarani, Embakasi East, and Embakasi West.
“Notably, Ruaraka Sub-County has consolidated its camps, reducing their number from 11 to 3, while in Embakasi East, three new camps have been established to accommodate the growing needs of those affected,” explained Simiyu.
He said that enhanced surveillance efforts for water and vector-borne diseases are underway, with real-time reporting mechanisms in place. Community engagement initiatives, including social media campaigns by the Ministry of Health, are addressing emerging health issues.
“Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) interventions are being prioritised, including water quality monitoring, distribution of aqua tabs for point-of-use water treatment, and extensive cleaning and disinfection activities in affected areas. Additionally, ongoing efforts include regular coordination meetings, dissemination of situational reports, and the provision of essential WASH commodities and information, all aimed at mitigating the impact of the crisis and safeguarding public health,” said Simiyu.
He added that in addressing nutritional needs during the crisis, ongoing assessments for children under five years are conducted at the sites, with a need to expand screening to adults and increase the number of nutritionists.
According to Simiyu, the heavy rains have also taken a toll on several schools across Nairobi, with learning being suspended until further notice.
“Kibra Sub County has been particularly hard hit, with seven schools reporting varying degrees of impact. These include Blessed Hope, Soweto Junior, Three Bells Academy, Raila Educational Center Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as St. Martin in Lainisaba ward and Mangoso Primary School,” he said.
He added that in Makadara Sub-County, St Elizabeth Primary School stands out as severely affected, with collapsed walls and issues with snakes on the premises. Additionally, Utu Wema Academy in the same ward has also been affected by the adverse weather conditions.
Simiyu said that in Dagoretti Sub-County, several schools have faced challenges due to the ongoing rains. These include New Day School, Rock Community Educational Centre, Huduma School, Riri School, Kabiro Primary, and Kanungaga Friends School. The situation comes as the government has postponed the opening of schools for the second term.
“The County Government continues with the efforts to restore the status of the county, with drainage, sewer and bridge repairs ongoing in different parts of the county. Surveillance continues with interventions including health education, search and rescue operations, camp setup, stakeholder collaboration, food and non-food item distribution, deployment of health staff to camps, and medical outreach activities done by the county as well as the key partners,” he said.
“We stand firm in our commitment to stand by the families affected throughout our county, he added. In these challenging times, I implore everyone to exercise caution and prioritise their safety and well-being as we navigate through this difficult period together. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our partners who have joined hands with us, tirelessly working in unison to ensure the people of Nairobi are taken care of.”
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
