Principal Secretary (PS) for Public Health and Professional Standards at the Ministry of Health Ms. Mary Muthoni Muriuki has said Kenya is on the right track in combating the Monkey Pox (Mpox) which found its way through the borders of the country in July this year.
Ms. Muriuki said so far, nine (9) cases of Mpox have been confirmed in the country with five fully healed and four (4) still undergoing management. A total of 1,228,976 people including truck drivers, travelers, among others having been screened at 26 points of entry.
She further said 68 contacts have been traced and followed up and tested where one was found to be positive.
The PS was speaking in Naivasha on Friday, when addressing the Council of Governors (COG) Health Committee.
During the address, she provided updates on the ongoing sensitization efforts to combat Mpox and informed the members about the high alert among health personnel in the country due to the Marburg virus, which has been reported in the neighbouring country of Rwanda.
Muriuki noted Kenyan health authorities have implemented a raft of preparedness and response measures to swiftly detect and combat the spread of Mpox, whose first case was confirmed in the country on 31st, July 2024.The epidemic has been reported in eight transit counties of Mombasa, Taita-Tavet, Nairobi, Makueni, and Nakuru and Busia among others.
On Augusts 13, 2024, the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) and a day later, World Health Organization (WHO) followed suit and officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Security (PHEIS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017.
The PS said the risk in Kenya among the general population is low but high among travelers frequenting Mpox affected countries like Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda) and truck drivers, air transport sector, Health facilities along the routes of movement.
To this end, the National Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) was activated and the National Incident Management System (IMS) constituted to enhance coordination between government and partners.
Muriuki revealed that the National Mpox Preparedness and Response Plan was also developed and National Mpox multiagency response committee established to provide policy and strategic direction to the response efforts. It has membership from Relevant Government Ministries and State Department, Council of Governors, Semi-Autonomous Government Agencies (SAGAs) among other Stakeholders.
Referral facilities receiving patients from affected countries are county hospitals in border counties with 78 per cent of the confirmed cases being truck drivers and their contacts.
Consequently, the PS said they have enhanced disease surveillance in counties and all Points of Entry, and contact tracing to identify and test close contacts of confirmed cases and rapid response teams deployed for quick investigation of suspected cases.
She added that her teams were carrying out health promotion and sensitization forums and key messages developed for dissemination, going hand in hand with training of health care workers.
Muriuki was emphatic that protocols and guidelines in are place for case management, treatment and infection prevention and control and mental health and psycho-social support made available to the affected.
In the counties, she observed that the National Government was doing the facilitation of Mpox sensitization forums and consultative meetings and has prepared communication materials on Mpox for dissemination in the counties.
The Ministry has also been preparing daily outbreak situation reports (Sitreps) from reports received from counties and have similarly trained Health personnel in the counties.
“We have also strengthened and activated County Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) alongside establishment of County Incident Management Structures and assessments and development of county-specific Mpox Preparedness and Response Plans,” Muriuki said.
The Government has also conducted risk assessments and development of county-specific Mpox Preparedness and Response Plans and structures,
Common symptoms of Mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last two to four weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. it can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has Mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
The PS also announced that they have received informal reports of a Marburg outbreak in Rwanda on Saturday 28th, September 2024 and 43 confirmed cases where 12 deaths have been reported, with case fatality rate standing at 27.9 per cent. She disclosed that 25 people are in isolation in that neighbouring country, several under medicare noting, that many of the patients are healthcare workers.
Muriuki said no cases have been reported in Kenya but the health team are on high alert due to the seriousness of the disease.
Symptoms of the disease are; abrupt onset high fever, severe headache and severe illness, muscle aches and pains severe watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea, vomiting and bleeding.
There is no known treatment for the disease and is transmitted through human-to-human through direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials such as cloths and bedding contaminated with fluids form a sick person.
The disease can be prevented by avoiding close contact with symptomatic persons, enhanced hygiene through hand washing and use of alcohol-based sanitizers.
The PS said that the risk analysis and development of a Marburg preparedness and response plan was ongoing and surveillance enhanced at all points of entry and cross borders.
Healthcare workers are being sensitized on strict use of infection prevention and control when managing all patients.
The PS also informed the COG committee on the soon to be launched Epuka Uchafu Afya Nyumbani programmes whose activities will be every third Saturday of the month where communities will be rallied to engage in environment cleanliness and sanitation activities.
She explained that the programme is an initiative that aims at reinvigorating the approach on hygiene practices, environmental sanitation including water and sanitation, and environmental conservation.
“The initiative will promote proper waste management, encourage environmentally sustainable behaviours, and address sanitation and hygiene-related health concerns and is aimed at improving the overall health and well-being of Kenyan communities by fostering a culture of personal and environmental hygiene, sanitation, and preventive healthcare,” Muriuki said.
The progtramme will involve School Health education, promotion of household and community hygiene practices, menstrual hygiene management, food hygiene, proper waste management, monthly clean up days, climate resilient interventions like tree planting initiatives and increased access to safe water supplies and eradication of open defecation through Community Led total Sanitation (CLTS) approach among other interventions
By Mabel Keya – Shikuku
