Kisumu County has raised the red flag over the growing number of snake bite incidents in Seme and Nyakach sub-counties.
According to the County Executive Committee Member for Health, Dr Gregory Ganda, the county treats between 1,000 to 1,500 cases of snake bites every year.
The health expert further stated that more cases may be going unreported due to lack of awareness among residents.
“Apart from bilharzia, snake bite is the second most common neglected disease in Kisumu County, with most cases reported in Seme and Nyakach sub-counties,” said Dr Ganda.
The world NTD day, which was being celebrated in Kenya for the second time, was held in Kisumu during the recent outbreak of bilharzia and the growing cases of snake bites.
“We are working around the clock to ensure the victims are well taken care of,” said Dr Ganda.
“Once the zipline is fully functional, we will be able to transport anti-venom to various hospitals within the 24 hours that a victim requires treatment,” he said.
1500 cases annually
The CEC also revealed that the county has been treating 1,200 to 1,500 cases of schistosomiasis in Nyando sub-county every year.
Last year, however, the county only reported 800 cases of bilharzia with more cases going unreported.
“We had an outbreak early this year since we were not able to reach our target of treated patients. Only 800 people reached out for treatment last year,” said Dr Ganda.
He shared that the waterborne disease is the result of compromised sanitation in Nyando, which is a flood prone area.
The residents of Nyando are often forced to part with lots of money to put up proper and long-lasting latrines.
“We have cases of collapsing latrines in the slums. It’s the same thing that the people of Kano go through. We need to invest more on sanitation to manage the cases,” he said.
On January 3, the residents of Nyando raised the alarm over a strange disease that had left more than 20 fishermen with swollen stomachs.
The men also complained of passing blood in urine and stool, general body weakness and loss of appetite.
According to Dr Ganda, the cases had been reported in Singinda and Ogenya beaches in Nyando.
Also present at the event was the head, Division of Waterborne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Dr Wycliffe Omondi, who said most of the cases may go unreported due to lack of awareness among residents.
“This day is a reflection on what we have done on NTDs. As a country, we are currently on the road to eliminate river blindness and sleeping sickness by 2025,” he said.
