Fear of Malaria outbreak in flooded Garissa and Mandera counties

Teams from the international medical organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) at the Dagahaley refugee camp in Daadab. (Photo: MSF/Iain Thomson)

An increase in malaria cases has been reported in Garissa and Mandera counties, with the Public Health Emergency Centre attributing the surge to the nightmare of waterborne diseases brought by the floods. In Mandera, there are 539 suspected cases, while Garissa County has reported 25 cases.

Displaced families in flood-prone areas of Garissa County are urgently appealing for mosquito nets and tarpaulin to protect them from the ongoing El Nino rains. Shurie Elmoge, a displaced community elder at Mansabubu in Fafi, emphasised the need for immediate intervention in the distribution of mosquito nets, stating, "The floods and camping displace us in an open area with nothing to shield us from the ongoing rains and mosquito bites." In Balambala Sub County, where villages were inundated by Tana River floods, residents echoed the plea for urgent provision of mosquito nets.

Halima Aden of Hadley village expressed concerns about a potential malaria outbreak due to the excessive breeding of mosquitoes after the river burst its banks. Last week, the Ministry of Health warned about the health risks associated with the ongoing heavy rains. Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni urged the public to adhere to sanitation and hygiene practices, including handwashing and proper waste disposal. She also cautioned about the possibility of increased cases of waterborne diseases due to the floods and damaged road infrastructure affecting the delivery of crucial healthcare services.