Turkana County Government commemorated this year’s World Tuberculosis (TB) Day by opening a TB clinic at Naduat Dispensary, Turkana North Sub- County, to cater to the TB patients in Naduat Village.
According to Dr Job Okemwa, County Coordinator of TB, Leprosy, and lung diseases, the new Naduat clinic site is the 83rd such facility in the county.
Addressing the commemoration, County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation Dr Francis Mariao, highlighted that TB patients no longer need to travel long distances to access their drugs.
“People no longer have to wait for days for their results; now it’s a matter of hours. Let’s avail ourselves of the free TB services offered at the new Naduat TB clinic,” he said.
Dr Mariao further urged Naduat residents to take TB prevention health education conducted by the community health promoters seriously.
Director for Community Health Services, Dr Joseph Lolepo, highlighted that the residents’ livelihoods, primarily mining and quarrying, as well as overcrowded living conditions, contributed to the high TB transmission rate in the village.
Denis Erot from World Relief Kenya, Project Coordinator for the Global Fund TB project, stated that they would be collaborating with community health promoters to enhance demand for TB services at the community level.
Similarly, Michael Logos from USAID Imarisha Jamii said they are considering extending the support and sample referral system of using boda boda riders, to the new TB clinic in Naduat.
Dr Mariao expressed appreciation to the County Health Staff, particularly the County TB Program for their hard work, local county administration and partners such as World Relief Kenya, USAID Imarisha Jamii, PanAfricare Kenya, and Kenya Red Cross for their support.
This year’s theme was “Yes! We Can End TB”.
By Peter Gitonga
