Kisii Senator Makes Urgent Demands to Government Over Mysterious Illness Outbreak
Kisii County Senator Richard Onyonka has issued a letter demanding immediate government intervention following the outbreak of a mysterious illness in the county, which has left many residents in distress.
The senator highlighted his concerns in a public statement on Tuesday, March 4, acknowledging the efforts by the Ministry of Health to investigate the situation but insisting on more immediate action to prevent the illness from spreading further.
“I am deeply troubled by the recent outbreak of a mysterious illness that has affected residents in South Mugirango, Kisii County.
Over 200 people from Nyabigege, Nyamarondo, and Nyarigiro villages have reported severe symptoms, including diarrhoea with bloody stools, high fever, and intense headaches over the past two weeks,” Onyonka said in the statement.
While the Ministry of Health, along with local county officials, has launched investigations to determine the cause of the illness, preliminary assessments suggest that it may be waterborne.
The illness appears to be linked to contaminated water sources used by the affected villages. Samples have been collected and are undergoing analysis, and the senator has called for several urgent actions to address the crisis.
The first demand from Onyonka is the rapid testing and analysis of the collected samples, to quickly identify the cause of the outbreak and begin the necessary interventions. He stressed the importance of a swift response to prevent further spread of the illness.
Secondly, Onyonka has called for an emergency medical response, urging both the Ministry of Health and the Kisii County government to deploy more medical personnel to the affected areas and provide the necessary medical supplies to treat those who have already fallen ill. This would help ensure that those in need of urgent care receive it as quickly as possible.
Thirdly, Onyonka emphasized the need for heightened public health awareness. He urged the residents of Kisii County to be cautious about the water they consume and to take steps to boil all drinking and cooking water to reduce the risk of infection.
Additionally, he called on community health workers to increase efforts to educate the public about proper hygiene and sanitation practices, which could help curb the spread of the disease.
The senator’s fourth demand focused on the long-term solution of providing clean and safe drinking water to the affected regions. He expressed concern about the poor water infrastructure in South Mugirango and pledged to engage with both county and national governments to address these issues urgently.
Finally, Onyonka demanded that the government maintain transparency throughout the investigation process by providing regular updates to the public. Keeping the community informed about the progress of the investigation will help ensure trust and cooperation as efforts continue to manage the outbreak.
“These measures are critical to ensure that the health and well-being of our community are safeguarded. I want to assure the people of South Mugirango and Kisii County that my office will continue to push for swift and effective action to tackle this health crisis. I wish all those affected a speedy recovery,” Onyonka concluded.
These demands come just one day after the government confirmed the outbreak, with officials from the Ministry of Health already on the ground.
Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni reassured the public, stating, “Health is a devolved function, but in situations like this, we always send officers from the national government, especially those from the surveillance department, to conduct thorough investigations and determine the cause of the disease.”
On Monday, the World Health Organization (WHO) also announced that they had deployed personnel to South Mugirango to assist in assessing the situation and identifying the cause of the outbreak.
WHO emphasized that its efforts are focused on supporting laboratory work to identify the disease and enhancing the overall response to the outbreak.
“WHO is on the ground in South Mugirango, Kisii County, working to identify the cause of the unknown disease outbreak.
Key efforts include assessing lab capacity, supporting lab officers in identifying the disease, and improving coordination and capacity for outbreak response. Investigations are still ongoing,” WHO stated in their update.
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