charter flight/ UNICEF Kenya
Unicef on Tuesday delivered life-saving emergency supplies to help in the ongoing interventions for drought emergencies and cholera outbreaks.
Unicef Kenya in a tweet communication on Tuesday said the supplies landed in Kenya on Unicef charter flight.
“The shipment contains health supplies, protective equipment and essential supplies for cholera treatment and drought response to support the Ministry of Health,”Unicef Kenya said.
A brief by UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in October said the Ministry of Health announced the cholera outbreak on October 19 through communication to all County Directors of Health.
According to the brief, the first cases were detected following a wedding festival in Limuru sub-county, Kiambu County on October 8.
Additional cases have been linked to another function on October 29 along Kiambu road.
However, the date of onset for the first cases is October 8 and the outbreak is currently active in seven counties and been controlled in Nakuru and Uasin Gishu counties.
“As of 13 November 2022, a total of 568 cases with 281 confirmed (48 cases by culture and 233 by rapid diagnostic test) and 15 deaths (CFR = 2.6%), have been reported so far.
“The highest caseload has been registered in Machakos county with 215 cases (37.8%), followed by Nairobi County with 155 cases (27.3%), and Kiambu County with 86 cases (15.1%). Among the 15 deaths reported, nine (60.0%) are reported from Nairobi County and Garissa, while Kiambu and Machakos Counties have reported each two deaths so far,” the brief said.
On the other hand, according to Kenyan authorities, over 4.35 million people living mostly in arid and semi-arid lands are facing severe food insecurity.
The National Drought Management Authority in its December monthly drought update said seven counties including are in the alert drought phase. These are Narok, Tharaka Nithi, Makueni, Nyeri, Meru and Laikipia. The remaining three counties Baringo, West Pokot and Lamu are in normal drought phase.
As a result of the drought, UNFPA, says some 134,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are acutely malnourished and in need of treatment.
The UN says forced to migrate in search of water, food and pasture, many are unable to access health facilities for critical maternal healthcare.
“The drought crisis is not only affecting women’s access to essential maternal health care; it is causing serious undernutrition among pregnant women, escalating risks to them and their future babies. In addition to affecting the development of a fetus, undernutrition also causes a number of problems for pregnant women, including higher risk of sepsis and death,” the UN says.
