Senate demands probe on cases of paralysis in 30 Busia children

Senators have given the Ministry of Health four days to investigate the cause of paralysis in children in Busia County.

Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro directed the Committee on Health to ensure Cabinet Secretary James Macharia deliver a statement on what the government was doing to prevent similar cases from occurring in other parts of the country.

The Speaker gave the direction after Migori Senator Wilfred Machage demanded to know what had caused the paralysis.

“I want to know whether it was a situation of the children being given wrong medication in Busia,” said Dr Machage.

The ministry’s findings will be read to the House by Health Committee chairman Mohammed Kuti next Tuesday.

Other senators asked the committee to also conduct its own investigations on the issue.

On Thursday the Nation reported that at least 30 children had been paralysed after receiving an injection at a dispensary run by the county government in Teso North Sub-County in Busia County.

MALARIA OUTBREAK

Most of the children at Akichelesit Dispensary could barely walk on their weak limbs while others had wounds oozing with pus.

The senators also raised concerns about the outbreak of malaria in Vihiga and Kakamega counties.

They accused the national government of not doing enough to contain the spread of malaria by supplying treatment drugs to affected health facilities.

“When I visited Kakamega Provincial General Hospital, 38 children had died of malaria. What preventive measures did the government take to stop the deaths? Why didn’t the government take enough drugs to the counties?” asked Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale.

The chairman of the Health Committee, Zipporah Kittony, said the government had helped the affected counties to ensure the disease was controlled and the infected treated.

“The ministry is aware of the outbreak and has taken measures. They have given drugs and mosquito nets despite the health function being a devolved function,” said Ms Kittony.

Mandera Senator Billow Kerrow said it was not enough to distribute mosquito nets and expect malaria to stop.

“Treated mosquito nets are not enough to prevent malaria. Prevention means dealing with the vectors that are responsible for the breeding.

"How can a ministry that has been able to send dozens of specialists to West Africa to battle Ebola not send specialists to deal with malaria?” asked Mr Kerrow.