MBEERE NORTH: Health ministry launches project to fight deaths caused by diarrhoea in children




A new strategy to fight deaths caused by diarrhoea in children under five years has been launched.
The project by the Ministry of Health, Nutrition International and the Catholic Diocese of Embu Development arm-Caritas entails ensuring that ORS and Zinc (co-packs) drugs, medication used to fight diarrhoea, are stocked to specified local shops and kiosks to ease their accessibility.
Availing the co-packs in local kiosks will be a shift from the normal trend of accessing the drugs in health centres or chemists, a challenge to timely accessibility in rural areas.
The project is being piloted in Mbeere North Sub County, Embu County before being scaled up countrywide depending on the pilot's success.
 Speaking during the launch in Riandu market, Head of Neonatal child and Adolescent Health Unit in the Ministry of Heath Dr Osman Warfa said the programme will reduce delayed treatment that causes death.
He said the community will be sensitized on managing the disease and that 12 community units have been identified and 150 community health workers trained to help in the implementation of the programme in Nthawa and Muminji wards, where the disease is prevalent.
“ORS and zinc drugs have proven to be effective in curing diarrhoea, the third killer among children under five after pneumonia and malaria. The drugs will be prepositioned to be the first line treatment,” he said.
The official said national coverage of Zinc supplementation during diarrheal episodes remains at seven percent, while the use of ORS alone stands at 53 percent, a statistic which he observed remains low if diarrhoea is to be completely eradicated in the country.
He said statistics show that diarrhoea kills 52 out of 1,000 live births in children under-five years and that it affects 16 for every 100 sick children.
“These statistics are very discouraging and need to be scaled down through accessibility to drugs and educating parents on the need to seek timely treatment the moment their children show symptoms of diarrhoea,” he said.
He added that lack of breast-feeding reduces the body’s immunity and is to blame for diarrhoea prevalence among children.
He also emphasized on observing basic sanitation and hygiene, and vitamin A supplementation for preventing diarrhoea.
Embu County Health Director Dr Stephen Kaniaru said the department has come up with a programme of helping children suffering from malnutrition to reduce chances of contracting diarrhoea due to poor eating habits.
Worldwide diarrhoea kills 525,000 children and in Kenya 27,400 children under five years yearly.
According to the World Health Organisation, the majority of deaths are due to delayed treatment or no treatment at all.



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