Health team spraying and educating members of the public on the kala-Azar outbreak /KNA
Wajir County has deployed a specialized health team to Eldas and Wajir West for a 10-day fumigation and spraying exercise to curb the spread of Kala-azar.
The disease has so far claimed nine lives and infected over 500 people since September last year.
The county’s health department has identified 6,000 households in the worst-hit areas, where efforts are being intensified to eliminate sandflies, the primary carriers of the disease-causing micro-organism.
“We aim to reach at least 6,000 households in this intervention. The outbreak has been worsened by recent floods, which created conditions ideal for sandflies to breed,” said Mohamed Hassan Maalim, the County Director for Public Health.
Health officials have urged residents to take preventive measures and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms of the disease.
In addition to fumigation and spraying, the trained health team will conduct awareness campaigns to educate the public on kala-azar’s symptoms, transmission, and prevention.
Ahmed Guhad, the County Chief Officer for Medical Services, revealed that all nine fatalities recorded since September were children under the age of five.
Speaking at Wajir Referral Hospital on Friday, he said the majority of the 500 reported cases come from Eldas, Wajir West, and Wajir East constituencies.
He also acknowledged challenges in responding to the outbreak, citing strained health facilities, inadequate testing kits, and the remoteness of some affected areas as key obstacles.
Hassan Abbas Ahmed, the County Director of Medical Services, stated that Wajir Referral Hospital has been overwhelmed by the rising number of kala-azar patients.
“To ease the pressure, patients are now being referred to Makoror Hospital, while sub-county health facilities in Giriftu and Eldas have begun admitting cases directly,” said Ahmed.
He said that additional paediatric wards have been set up at Wajir Referral Hospital to accommodate the increasing number of young patients.
However, the county faces delays in receiving test results further complicating treatment efforts.
Kala-azar, also known as visceral leishmaniasis, is caused by the Leishmania parasite and is transmitted through sandfly bites.
Health experts warn that if left untreated, the disease can be fatal.
Common symptoms include weight loss, prolonged fever, diarrhoea, fatigue, anaemia, and an enlarged spleen and liver.
Residents are urged to remain vigilant and cooperate with health teams to prevent further spread of the disease.
