[Kenya] Ministry issues TB, malaria warning

from African News dimension

The Ministry of Health in Kenya has sounded an alarm on the increase of malaria and tuberculosis (TB) cases in Kajiado District.

Area public health officer, Paul Tikolo, said malaria prevalence had shot up to 27 per cent from 23 per cent in 2004. Infection rate of TB, he said, stood at 3 per cent from 2 per cent last year.

"We have been forced to come up with special TB manyattas at the district hospital so that the patients can complete their dosage," he said.

He said many people in the area failed to complete medication. Tikolo was speaking at the weekend in Loitokitok during the launch of a global campaign on HIV/Aids, TB and malaria.

The Government, he said, had embarked on an anti-malaria campaign in the district aimed at disinfecting all open draining systems in public places.

"The disposal of drainage in the open because of poor sewerage system has provided breeding zones for mosquitoes," he said.

He directed health officials to oversee the formation of TB and malaria community control systems. Tikolo banned direct discharge of raw sewage into River Kiserian whose waters he described as highly contaminated.