Galgalo Bocha
11 November 2009
Nairobi — At least eight people among them three children and two women have been confirmed dead following a severe out-break of cholera in several parts of Lamu Island.
Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and health officials have teamed up to battle further spread of the disease that started rocking the island since last week.
The district medical officer (MOH), Dr Bijuma Mitwan told Nation on phone that another 28 people are being treated in isolated wards in King Fahad district hospital.
"We confirm eight deaths as a result of the disease but we are working round the clock to contain the disease," she said.
Dr Mitwan added that the routine visiting hours where patients are paid visits by their relatives, friends and other well-wishers to offer moral support through prayers have been scrapped at the district hospital.
A mid public outcry over the stringent measures, health workers and KRCS officials have went a head and took to themselves the responsibility of taking care of all patients brought into the facility.
"We have scrapped the usually culture where patients are visiting because we don't want them to carry the disease to the community," said the MOH.
Dr Mitwan added that although the government had provided sufficient drugs to the hospital in combat the disease, external assistances will be welcomed to mitigate the current situation.
"In deed I am appealing to agencies and other philanthropists to support the ministry of health and KRCS in this combined efforts to contain the disease and help to stop it in time," she added.
The deadly disease has affected mostly residents Mkomani, Langoni, Kandahar and Kijitoni suburbs of the archipelago where social gathering like weddings and funerals that attract public drinking and eating have been banned.
Public health officers also imposed ban on sales of baked bread, roast meat drinks on the narrow Lamu Island streets with those found violating the orders arrested and charged before court.
On Tuesday emergency stakeholders meeting was held at the area DC's offices where chief and assistant chiefs were directed to ensure all health measures put in place by medics are implemented to the latter in the area.
The provincial administrators and villager elders were incorporated in door to door health and sanitation hygiene programmes being spearheaded by KRCS and ministry of health's officials.
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