Over 100 people were admitted at Akwichatis dispensary in Tiaty Sub-county in Baringo County after allegedly eating meat of an infected camel. The incident is attributed to the strike of hunger bite in the county owing to the ongoing nationwide droughts. It is reported that the Pokot residents gathered to slaughter the sickly camel at
Over 100 people were admitted at Akwichatis dispensary in Tiaty Sub-county in Baringo County after allegedly eating meat of an infected camel.
The incident is attributed to the strike of hunger bite in the county owing to the ongoing nationwide droughts.
It is reported that the Pokot residents gathered to slaughter the sickly camel at Cheptuimet village last Thursday before serious cases of diarrhea were reported and nursed at the dispensary since then to date.
According to the nurse in charge of the health facility Paul Chebet, the patients were complaining severe stomach pain with uncontrollable diarrhea, suspecting that they might have eaten meat of an infected camel.
Chebet said the patients were out of danger, saying at first he feared the disease could have turned out to be an outbreak of a serious disease but he later learned that it was as a result of eating an infected camel.
He said he has not slept for the last four days since the incident occurred as the patients were coming in droves even until the midnight of Saturday adding that the he has managed to address the situation without referral of any serious case.
However he said he has admitted at least 72 patients by Sunday adding that although he has discharged home a number of them but he still handling a few cases in the dispensary.
He said the work was tiresome as he was the only medic serving in the dispensary, “although I had to engage some youth in the area but it was still difficult dispensing the medicine and nursing the patients alone” He said.
The health officer further claimed improper hygiene may have caused the sudden disease urging the residents to observe cleanliness to avert such occurrence in future.
Confirming the incident Naudo Sub-location Chief David Arupe said the victims descended on the sick camel meat owing to irresistible hunger bite situation due onset of droughts in the sub-county.
“Currently the residents here were suffering acute lack of food and clean drinking water, therefore could not spear any such chances including consumption of uninspected carcasses” Said Mr Arupe.
He further said there were no public health officers available to check on foods in the area, forcing the butcheries around to rely on officers from Chemolingot, over 30 kilometers away.
The administrator said the residents feasted on the meat as they usually do with emaciated animals in the dry seasons, but this time with disastrous effects.
He said reports indicated the patients were out of danger although some sounded incoherent, urging the county health department to take the patients for further checkups and treatment.
Arupe also called upon the county ministry of livestock to contact conclusive research on the animal diseases that could also be harmful to human health.
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