Take health precautions during rains
Locals were left stranded after floods submerged Namanga Road on April 24, 2024.
Prolonged periods of high rainfall are being experienced in most parts of the country.
According to Kenya Meteorological Department, increased heavy rainfall is expected in Lake Victoria Basin, highlands west of the Rift Valley, northern, central and southern Rift Valley regions, highlands east of the Rift Valley and the coastal strip this month.
Apart from flooding, landslides, destruction of property and loss of crops and livestock, among other challenges, the increased spread of water- and vector-borne diseases poses a huge challenge to the country.
In this case, malaria is the disease that is most likely to affect people around the areas experiencing heavy rainfall, alongside other waterborne diseases like diarrhoea, typhoid and cholera.
Despite a commendable global effort to eradicate it, malaria still is a significant public health burden globally. In Kenya, there are an estimated 3.5 million new clinical cases and 10,700 deaths from malaria yearly.
There is a need for more use of insecticide-treated nets, especially by pregnant mothers and young children as they are at the greatest risk of getting sick and dying of malaria.
The Health ministry should distribute more free mosquito nets. Many of those in homesteads are old, thus in a condition to not be helpful anymore.
Eradicate mosquito breeding places and conduct general clean-ups of bushes and tall grasses around homesteads. Proper disposal of litter, especially bottles and cans, reduces malaria infection. Also, embrace use of technologies such as mosquito repellents.
Boiling drinking water, maintaining proper sanitation and safe disposal of infectious waste, regularly handwashing with soapy running water and washing fruits and vegetables with hot water and such practices prevents transmission of waterborne diseases.
People should always go for early diagnosis whenever they show any signs and symptoms of these transmittable diseases. Everybody should remain vigilant and take the necessary precautions against infections.
- Mr Wafula is a media and communication student at Rongo University. [email protected].
