Kenya is preparing to launch a mass vaccination campaign against cholera, which has killed 78 people and infected 4,000 since September.
Cholera is easily treatable if caught early. However, public health experts warn that if people do not have access to clean water and improved sanitation, there may be an increase in cases that will overburden hospitals.
According to Kenya’s health chief, a total of one million vaccines are required, as the majority of patients seeking treatment in hospitals arrive at a late stage, and some die as a result.
The campaign, according to Director General of Health Patrick Amoth, will begin in Nairobi and three other counties in Kenya’s arid north, where infections are prevalent. 14 counties will be targeted in total.
People eating out and not practicing proper hand hygiene have been linked to cases in urban areas. The semi-arid region’s ongoing drought has made it difficult for people to access clean water, and they are also moving further away from healthcare facilities.
