Ministry of health disburses Ksh 80M to fight cholera in Mandera

The Ministry of Health has dispatched 80 million shillings worth of drugs and equipment to Mandera County to avert a medical crisis in the county which has been hit by an outbreak of both Cholera and the Chikungunya virus.

With at least 500 people admitted at Mandera County Referral Hospital, the Ministry has also deployed more health workers to boost numbers at the hospital as the outbreak gets to a crisis level.

The Ministry also says it has dispatched medical equipment to the county to help with disinfection and treatment of the hundreds of people flocking the hospital.

A team of officers from the World Health Organization and MSF are on ground also working to reduce the infection rate.

So far, 11 people have died since the cholera outbreak hit the county this month.

This comes just a day after Amref Health Africa confirmed that the cholera outbreak in Mandera County has already claimed 10 lives and at least 721 people are suspected to have been infected since the first case was reported on April 13th.

“To contain the situation and help put a stop to the spread of the epidemic, we have launched an emergency appeal for Ksh 25 million. The situation on the ground is dire. Cholera patients are being housed in a maternity shelter at the County Referral Hospital. The shelter has a capacity of 50 but is already crowded with 58 patients currently. Many more patients are being treated outside, with beds placed around the compound of the hospital and drips hanging from trees,” read the statement from Amref.

Amref Health Africa said it is currently collaborating with the County Government of Amref and other partners to help manage the situation.

“In particular, there is urgent need for interventions at community level, including hygiene promotion in schools and households. The County department of health has mobilised supply of water to schools, markets and other public places, but there are no water storage tanks in many of these places,” read the statement.