BY LUKE KAPCHANGA DN/KIMILILI TYPHOID 19/3/2005
The ministry of water officials
in Bungoma district are to blame for the typhoid outbreaks in secondary
schools which has claimed the lives of two students.
The minister of trade and industry Dr Mukhisa Kituyi said the problem
is caused by lack of rehabilitaion and cleaning up of treatment works.
Dr Kituyi who spoke after
touring, Moi girls Kamusinga and Kimilili boys high schools complained
that the clean up has been inasufficient for a long time affecting the
quality and quantity of water consumption within Kimilili town.
"It is painful that within a short period when a similar outbreak was
at Chesamisi another one is occuring which is water related" Dr Kituyi
observed.The minister who is the area MP told parents not to panick and remove students from the affected schools as the situation has been put under control.
The provincial medical officer western Dr Olango Onudi confirmed that the outbreak was typhoid and dispelled fears that it could be swamp fever.
Dr Onudi speaking at the Webuye sud-district hospital, said tests carried out on affected students shows that they consumed contaminated water.
The PMO said they are now
monitoring water treatment daily which is consumed by the two schools,
coming from one source at Kamutiong water suply.
He told journalists that the first casaulty was a girl from Kamusinga
who died on 11 March and the second was a student of Kimilili boys who
died on 17 March at Bungoma hospital.
The girl was identified as Lilian Simiyu form -3 while the boy was identified as Francis Mukhisa Kituyi form -4.
He said a total of 126 students
have been treated fo the disease , 90 girls and 36 boys and clinical
camps have been set up to detect any new cases.
The PMO explained that 9 students, 8 boys and a girl are stiil admitted at the hospital , 2 in serious conditions.
He also blamed the ministry of
water which is supposed to ensure the safety and cleanliness of water
consumption for not doing enough.
He defended the public health
officials for failing to detect water contamination early because they
do not laise with the officials from the ministry nof water.
Dr Onudi clariffied that a consignment of drugs had been sent from Nairobi to sumplement the hospital stocks.
He said earlier, the doctors were made to change drugs one after another because they had not identified the disease.
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