Prevent epidemic deaths - Daily Nation

A malaria outbreak in a remote area of Tiaty Constituency in Baringo County, in which six people have died in recent days, is an indictment of the public health sector’s capacity and preparedness to deal with emergencies.

But even more damning is the apparent helplessness of the locals in the face of a curable disease. Remoteness should never be a justification for the deaths of fellow Kenyans.

The country has over the years invested heavily in the establishment of health centres and public hospitals throughout the country.

It is a shame, therefore, that some of these facilities are derelict, hardly manned and lack medicines and facilities to respond to such epidemics.

This leaves the people at the mercy of infections that are preventable and curable, and this is a mockery of the health sector, which, ironically, is ailing itself and yet it is expected to respond to the people’s urgent needs.

Just what are the local county’s health authorities doing to ensure that the existing facilities are functional?

True, this is an area with some treacherous terrain, which makes it quite difficult to access many of the settlements.

But why should help not have been mobilised at the county headquarters and also sought from Health ministry headquarters in Nairobi?

These are citizens in dire need help, but, who are most of the time left to either non-governmental organisations or church-owned hospitals to provide basic healthcare.

According to an African Inland Church missionary in the area, almost every household has a sick person.

It is not too late for an emergency health team to be flown by helicopter to the area to treat those infected.

But the long-term solution is to equip the local health centres with adequate staff, medicines and facilities and enhance the capacity to prevent infections.

As it has been proven in medical care that prevention is better than cure.