Kenya: water shortage increases cholera toll

An acute water shortage in parts of eastern and northeastern Kenya is fuelling the spread of acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) and cholera, with deaths from new cases being reported, a senior health official has said.

“People are resorting to drinking water from anywhere because of the shortage,” Shahnaaz Sharif, director of public health in the Ministry of Public Health, told IRIN.

“Recently, four deaths have been reported in Garbatulla [District] where about 280 AWD cases have been reported in the last three weeks,” Sharif said, adding that samples from those affected had been collected for laboratory testing. [...] “In total, 24 cholera deaths and 1,452 cases of diarrhoea have been recorded since January [2009],” he said.

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Inadequate sanitation has exacerbated the situation. “We only have one toilet for 600 pupils. It is the main reason why our school has been affected,” Sora Boru, a head teacher at Bullesa primary school in Isiolo, told IRIN. “Many children have [not] reported for school… Parents are keeping them at home.”

Hygiene awareness campaigns have been intensified in the water-scarce region.

According to Yussuf Ali, a trader, the price of bottled water has increased. “A half litre [bottle] of water is selling at Ksh.100 [about US$1.3]… even higher than petrol.

See also: Kenya: Acute watery diarrhoea kills eight in Coast Province, IRIN, 18 Jun 2009

Source: IRIN, 17 Jun 2009