In mid November 2009, residents in Kapnyunguny village in East Baringo District developed Cholera-like symptoms with a very high case fatality rate. Several deaths were reported from 25th November 2009, causing panic among the locals who fled to different directions, some heading to Lomelo, Kapedo, Silale hills and Nasorot hills with reported continuity of Cholera signs and symptoms. Dead bodies have since been collected along the migration paths. Tens of patients have been attended to in various medical facilities including Chemolingot District Hospital, Kapedo Health Centre and Riongo Dispensary.
Impact of Disease Outbreak
A Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) team found seven bodies yesterday (30th November) of those believed to have lost their lives while fleeing to the hills. Others fled to Kapedo, where the health centre has been over-stretched due to tens who require medical attention. There are fears that an unknown number of people are in the bushes and some might have died during the flight from Kapnyung�uny.
At least 122 Cholera cases have been confirmed, 26 deaths and 32 patients admitted.
Response by Kenya Red Cross
The KRCS personnel are providing medical services and support to hundreds of people in East Baringo, following an outbreak of suspected Cholera disease. For the past seven days, KRCS personnel have been attending to various Cholera-related cases at Kapedo Health Centre, where the Society has provided one Cholera Kit and one Volunteers Kit, which can handle over 10,000 cases.
The Society also dispatched a team of volunteers, a Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation nurse, and a local pastor to Nasorot hills to attend to some patients at the Chief�s camp. A doctor has been engaged by KRCS and deployed to Kapedo Health Centre with two medical support staff.
In outreach activities, KRCS is using three vehicles to support in search and rescue of people believed to be in the thickets and to collect dead bodies. Patients who are too weak to walk to health facilities are often left behind in the wild and rough terrain. KRCS personnel have been mobilising the community to be aware and to appreciate that the health facility at Kapedo can handle the cases reported. Following the awareness campaigns some people have been waiting for KRCS vehicles along the roads, while others have gone to the health facilities for treatment.
At least seven bodies were collected yesterday in Kapnyung�uny area along River Suguta, in the Suguta Valley. Four more bodies were recovered today, 1st December 2009, by the KRCS team.
Yesterday, 30th November 2009, the Kenya Red Cross Society chartered a helicopter to assess the situation in the district. Those in the trip (video footage) include the KRCS Deputy Secretary General, Dr James Kisia, Rift Valley PC, Mr Said Warfa and a Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation Officer in charge of Disease Surveillance, Dr Philip Muthoka.
The team led by KRCS found a herdsman, who gave his name as Kisur, at Kapedo Health Centre, with three children he had taken for treatment, after walking for 40km, leaving behind two sick women and a child battling for their lives in the thickets. Upon arrival at the scene, a gory scene of lifeless bodies of a mother and child clunk to each other, was unbearable. Close to the bodies were empty jerricans of water and guards of milk.
Recommendations
- There is need for deployment of helicopters and vehicles to be used in search and rescue of people still in the bushes.
- There is urgent need for medical services before the situation worsens and more lives lost.
- There is need for establishment of more medical centers in the affected areas, to avoid overcrowding at the current health facilities, which can exacerbate the health problem.
