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Malaria Kills a Staggering 72 Children Daily in Kenya
- Details
- Published on Monday, 02 July 2007 02:24
Malaria is estimated to kill a child in Africa every 30 seconds and accounts for 90 percent of child deaths below five years in Africa South of Sahara. In Kenya, the infection rate are higher in Western Kenya where 300 suspected infections occur per day the most hit district being Kisii, where children as young as five months are affected. The district has been experiencing an upsurge in malaria cases yearly over the last decade during the months of June, July and August. The outbreaks occur shortly after the wet months of April and May, says the Kisii District Medical Officer of Health (HMO), Dr. Erick Abunga.
The Western division in the district covering Marani, Mosodo and Suneka areas are hardest hit. Children contract malaria then develop severe complications that are related to poor diet and HIV/Aids, the official says. "Children in Western Kenya get attacks so many times that by the time they reach puberty, if they are lucky to, they're already got some immunity," says Larry Slatsker, a researcher based in KEMRI Kisumu."In many cases, the attacks come as early as two to twelve months. Consequently, infant mortality due to malaria is very high in the district. Sadly, a malaria vaccine is still many years away."Dr Abunga says the Kisii District Hospital has two special children's wards that take up to 38 patients. However, during outbreaks, up to five children share a single bed. Children below five years and especially those with anaemia are separated from those between 6-12 years suffering from the disease and other general complications related to malaria.
On the brighter side, however, the Ministry of Health in conjunction with local health service organisations among them Population Services International (PSI) and World Vision are managing the outbreaks, each time they occur, through rapid response, and public sensitisation programmes. This has effectively reduced death tolls. With adequate response teams, equipment and drugs, Dr Abunga says the hospital has been able to contain the outbreaks, but admits that sometimes owing to the very overwhelming nature of the outbreaks couples with logistic problems the attacks have briefly reeled out of contol. The official says malaria kills more people in the district than HIV/Aids
During the 1999 outbreak, whose toll was the highest ever, the Kenya Army personnel, AMREF and several health non-governmental organisations had to be mobilised to deal with the scourge. Mobile treatment clinics were set up. Records indicate that in December 2002, the Kisii District Hospital admitted 533 cases with 16 deaths, then the number shot up in January, 2003 with 42 deaths out of 1,665 admitted cases.In the first six days of February this year, the hospital had recorded 14 deaths. "Out of the admitted and reported cases of malaria deaths in the district, children account for over 60 per cent," asserts Dr Abunga.Chronic malaria may adversely affect a child's growth and intellectual development. Repeated episodes of malaria may lead to severe, life threatening anaemia. Blood transfusions may save lives in these circumstances, but also expose the child to the risk of HIV/Aids and other blood-borne infections.
Dr Abunga notes that government policy allows first line malarial treatment drugs to be sold over the counter in the village shops, but decries the availability of second line treatment options saying "these drugs can only be administered by qualified medical personnel after requisite tests". If not treated in time, Dr Abunga says the disease develops rapidly leading to convulsions. The patient may lapse into a coma, unconsciousness and even death. Some severe forms of malaria attack the brain, for instance cerebral malaria. Survivors may suffer permanent neurological damage.
Malaria, a major cause of anaemia in the tropics may affect the child's growth and intellectual progress if it becomes chronic, says Dr Abunga.To reduce malaria attacks and death, children must be protected from the mosquito (anopheles) that transmit the disease. One of the recommendations is that children sleep under insecticide-treated Nets (ITNs). Trials in the 80s and 90s showed that ITNs reduced deaths in young children by an average of 20 per cent. Sadly, ITNs can be very expensive for families at risk of malaria, who are among the poorest in the world. Availability of effective and affordable anti-malaria drugs, to all children residing in malaria endemic areas will ensure effective treatment.
Since residents in Kisii purchase anti-malarial drugs from nearby village shops, shopkeepers, and community based health organisations need to be trained on appropriate dose administration of first line treatment. However, whenever symptoms persist in children, Dr Abunga says parents are advised to seek medical assistance for second line treatment which may involve further clinical tests and administration of quinine injections. The presence of malaria related complications in expectant mothers lead to low birth weights. According to Dr Abunga, pregnant mothers in Kisii are encouraged to use ITNs and take intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) as a major determinant of child survival.
