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Malaria Deaths In Kisii District Rise To 122
- Details
- Published on Saturday, 07 July 2007 06:43
Seven of the people died as Dr Gaturuku and his team criss-crossed the overcrowded wards in the district hospital to assess the situation and prescribe drugs for the crisis.
Dr Gaturuku who was accompanied by five experts from the Ministry of Health headquarters has been camping at the Kisii district hospital to ascertain the magnitude of the problem.
The new deaths bring the number to 122 deaths reported both in the government and private health facilities.
Yesterday morning, the deputy Director visited Ogembo hospital in Gucha district and Keumbu health centre in Kisii before leaving for Nyamira with a lorryful of malaria drugs.
He called on the health board of the Kisii district hospital to support the campaign against the epidemic by proposing the best ways to decongest the hospital. The facility serves as a referral hospital serving the districts of Kisii, Gucha, Nyamira, Trans Mara, Rachuonyo, Migori, Kuria and Homa Bay.
An upsurge of medical quacks cashing in on the malaria crisis were complicating efforts to deal with the epidemic. Most of the victims were reportedly 'treating' themselves at home thereby increasing the fatality rate.
Kisii MOH, Dr Thomas Ogaro confirmed that the high cases of death among the children was due to anaemia.
The rate of blood transfusions at the District Hospital has shot up and health personnel have appealed to the community and well wishers to donate blood.
The deputy Director said that out of the 14 vehicles donated by the World Health Organisation, one had already been dispatched to Nyanza Province. He requested for more vehicles to help combat the epidemic.
Yesterday, the Minister for Health, Mr. Jackson Kalweo confirmed the malaria outbreak.
"District Health Management teams in the affected districts and other health workers have already been retrained and given guidelines on proper management of malaria," Kalweo said in a press statement.
