Politicians frustrating fight against cholera Official

Embu County Health Department has expressed disappointment with politicians for frustrating its efforts in fighting cholera, which has so far claimed five lives.

The county’s director of health, Philip Masaulo, said that since cholera was reported in the county towards the end of April this year, politicians have been interfering with the measures his department has been taking thus slowing down the disease’s eradication.

Masaulo particularly took issue with Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) for interfering with the department’s work, urging them to cooperate for the benefit of the residents.

He said that one way of curbing the spread of the disease was to maintain proper hygiene but any time his officers closed down unhygienic food selling outlets, politicians came out and demanded their re-opening.

The county’s medical director added that his department does its work professionally and that the measures being undertaken were aimed at controlling and eradicating the outbreak and were not targeted at anyone.

On what his office has done so far, Masaulo said that since the start of the outbreak his department has forced residents to construct over 273 pit latrines, enhanced food premises inspections and shut down 152 unhygienic food premises.

Over 128 public sensitisation meetings have also been held and ten water sources tested, with seven testing positive for cholera.

He, however, noted that 418 food handlers have been screened and given certificates and special Cholera treatment units opened at Embu Level Five Hospital, Gategi Health Center and Kiritiri Hospital in Mbeere South Sub county.

Report by Anthony Ndwiga