Baringo malaria death toll rises to 13

The number of people who have died in Baringo County following an outbreak of malaria has risen to 13 after four more people died at Chemolingot Sub County Hospital on Thursday.

This comes after 9 people died on Wednesday, October 4, after being admitted to hospital.

Tiaty Sub County health coordinator, Joseph Nakopir, said the number of deaths is increasing by the day.

“Nine people have died on Tuesday after failing to access any medical facility on time following the outbreak of malaria in this region and now I can confirm that four more people have died,” Nakopir said.

He said the outbreak follows pulling out of non-governmental organizations from the area due to insecurity occasioned by frequent bandit attacks and invasions by armed herders, a situation that has forced the government to deploy Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers to the region in a bid to restore order.

He noted that medical staff at Chemolingot County hospital have been overwhelmed in the last one week after attending to more than 80 malaria patients.

The deaths come amid the prolonged nurses’ strike which has not lasted more than 100 days as the health workers agitate for better terms.

However, Health Cabinet Secretary Cleopa Mailu has ruled out further negotiations with the nurses, saying the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has already harmonized salaries of all civil servants.

CS Mailu told the nurses to appeal the SRC job grading system as opposed to what he termed as ‘subjecting Kenyans to unfair treatment’.