This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Four children have lost their lives in Mwingi North, Kitui County, in a span of just two weeks, succumbing to a rare and deadly disease known as kala-azar. The disease, which is caused by infection with leishmania parasites, has left 13 other children fighting for their lives at Garissa Level Five Hospital.
The affected children come from Ngomeni, Mandongoi, and Tseikuru areas, where the disease has spread rapidly. According to the World Health Organisation, kala-azar is characterised by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver, and anaemia.
Regina Kasyoka, a mother of three, is still reeling from the loss of her four-year-old daughter, who died five days ago. Her second-born child is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, while her third child was discharged but is still recovering.
Another parent, Peter Muthengi, is also seeking treatment for his five-year-old daughter at the hospital. He was forced to seek treatment in Garissa since there was no medication for Kala-azar in Kitui County. Muthengi expressed concern that poor families in the area may lose their children if urgent medical help is not provided.
Phyllis Joseph is nursing her eight-year-old son, who has a distended belly, at the hospital. She took him to two health facilities after noticing his stomach was swelling and he was weak, but they could not diagnose his ailment. A neighbour advised her to seek treatment in Garissa, where her son is currently undergoing treatment.
Abdullahi Abdi, the nursing officer in charge of the children's ward at Garissa Level Five hospital, said the four children died in just under two weeks of their admission. He added that the patients were responding well to treatment and would remain there for another 28 days.
Kitui County Officer in charge of Health and Sanitation Richard Muthoka said a medical surveillance team had been dispatched to affected areas. He also clarified that drugs to treat the disease were available and issued free by the national government.
