Governor Bii Confirms Hepatitis A Outbreak in Uasin Gishu, Three Children Dead, Urgent Measures in Place
“There should be no cause for alarm at all since our medical teams have taken comprehensive measures to control the situation in the affected areas to prevent further spread of the disease,”
Ten cases of Hepatitis A have been confirmed in Uasin Gishu County, with three children succumbing to the disease, Governor Jonathan Bii announced yesterday.
The governor stated that the ten victims of the viral infection received initial medical attention at Ziwa Level Five Hospital in Soy Sub-County before being referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) for specialized treatment. This referral followed a worsening of the condition of patients, aged between 12 and 20, from Ziwa and Segero areas.
Governor Bii sought to reassure local residents, stating that measures have been taken to contain the disease and prevent its spread. “There should be no cause for alarm at all since our medical teams have taken comprehensive measures to control the situation in the affected areas to prevent further spread of the disease,” he said.
He added that the county government has initiated a sensitization program through community health workers to educate residents on the dangers posed by the disease. “Our officers from the public health department have heightened surveillance within the affected areas to prevent a recurrence of the disease, which has caused fear and anxiety among residents,” Governor Bii noted.
Plans are underway to procure testing kits to enhance the detection and treatment of the disease, with all targeted areas already mapped out. “Once we procure the kits, the next step is to conduct mass tests in all the affected areas across the county,” Bii explained.
Governor Bii made these remarks during a tour of the newly refurbished Uasin Gishu County Hospital, one of more than 150 health facilities that have undergone significant renovations since last year.
He also assured health workers that their promotion issues, which have been stagnant for over two decades, will be addressed in the next financial year. Additionally, the governor announced plans to hire 150 additional health workers to address staff shortages in various public hospitals.
However, Governor Bii acknowledged the challenges posed by the high number of health professionals leaving the country for better opportunities abroad. “I cannot block them from pursuing greener pastures abroad because, in any case, what we are paying them here is not commensurate with the work they are doing in our public hospitals,” he stated.
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