At least 4 people die from Kala-Azaar disease outbreak – KBC

At least 4 people from Ngomeni, ward Kitui County have died from an outbreak of Kala Azaar disease and 13 others are admitted at Garissa County Referral Hospital.

Speaking at the facility where his 5-year-old daughter is admitted Peter Muthengi said a mother and her child died in Ngomeni while two children succumbed to the disease while receiving treatment at the referral hospital.

Those admitted are 11 are children below 10 years after they were diagnosed with Kala Azaar, a disease caused by sand flies.

Muthengi said it is a shame for Kitui residents to seek medications as far as Garissa while Kitui has 14 level 4 and 38 hospitals.

Also are residents from Tseikuru ward in Mwingi North sub-county that border Tana river county who are camel herders.

The flies which are attracted by camels bite human beings leading to swollen stomachs.

Another parent Peris Joseph also at the facility appealed to the Kitui government to send a team of medics to the two wards to save lives saying there are many sick children whose parents cannot afford to travel to Garissa for treatment.

According to Abdullahi Abdi, the nursing officer in charge of Garissa Referral hospital paediatric ward, all the patients are responding well to treatment.

Abdullahi said the patients will remain at the facility for another 28 days before they are discharged.