KENYA: Racing to Halt Deadly Black Fever Epidemic
Pastor Dale Morgan
*KENYA: Racing to Halt Deadly Black Fever Epidemic*
07 Jul 2008 14:41:04 GMT
Source: IRIN
ISIOLO, 7 July 2008 (IRIN) - A lack of laboratory facilities, transport
and skilled medical workers is hampering efforts to tackle an outbreak
of visceral leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease also known as kala azar
or black fever, in northern Kenya's Isiolo and Wajir districts,
officials said.
"We have a serious shortage of personnel to cover the affected area. We
are also faced with the problem of mobility as we have only one vehicle
for the work," said Ali Wario, a public health officer in Isiolo, told IRIN.
He added that there was a lack of personnel trained in the prevention
and management of the disease.
The outbreak has killed five people since it was first recorded in April
2008. Ten more cases were confirmed in July by a special surveillance
team. In early June, the total number of confirmed cases was 66.
"We must now move to prevent as we treat the cases at Merti [health
centre in Isiolo], but lack of medicines and transport must be addressed
urgently," he added.
A local councillor, Ibrahim Halake, appealed to the government and aid
agencies to provide vehicles to help affected families travel to health
centres.
"Families are selling their animals. We have been asked on several
occasions to help raise funds for those who are sick. Many families are
poor and cannot afford to travel to the health centre - it is far," he
told IRIN.
Once it enters the body, the leishmaniasis parasite, which is carried by
sand flies, migrates to internal organs and bone marrow. If an infection
progresses and is left untreated, it almost always results in death.
Sand flies thrive in the cracks of mud-covered dwellings, in cow dung,
rat burrows, ant-hills, dry river beds and vegetation. In Wajir, the
flies often bite people as they dig for water in the bed of the Ewaso
Nyiro River or graze their livestock.
Kala azar is endemic in northern Kenya and outbreaks are common in times
of drought.