AFRICA/KENYA - Dozens of children down with dysentery, 13 die in the north west

Wednesday, 24 May 2006

Rome (Fides Service) - In the past two weeks a violent epidemic of dysentery has caused the death of 13 children in the district of Mandera, in north west Kenya. The infection spread because of polluted water during this rain season which comes after prolonged drought in this remote and arid part of the country.
Mortal cases were registered in the village of Kotulo in the El Wak area in the southern part of Mandera and in the village of Phamu in the northern part of the district.
The children died before they could be taken to hospital. Most died of dehydration caused by diarrhoea and vomiting.
Kenya Red Cross Service KRCS sent medical supplies and water disinfectant to the affected villages. Moreover four state nurses, and two public health officers were sent to work with local medical officers to try to stop the epidemic from spreading further.
KRCS also launched a health and hygiene campaign involving the parents of about 52,000 children under five in Mandera, children being the most at risk.
In recent months Botswana was also hit by a similar outbreak which killed 470 children. The number of cases reported was 23,264. The Botswana Health Ministry said the epidemic started in the south west region of Serowe-Palapye with 4,564 cases and 4,391 cases in Kweneng East. (AP) (24/5/2006 Agenzia Fides; Righe:24; Parole:269)


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