Floods and a lot of vaccines
As floods reign supreme and all we can discuss is getting home before the downpour, malaria cases could surge and doctors enter the 50th day of their strike using colourful statements to advocate for themselves. Additionally, we just might no longer need to carry countless documents every time we go to the hospital (I know, we’ve been waiting for this) and boric acid is the latest “cure” for yeast infections.
Here are the main stories in public health this week:
- Flooding claims 210 lives as Cyclone Hidaya nears
- World Immunisation Week kicks off across the country
- Government finally automates patient records
SPOTLIGHT
Malaria is still alive and killing many
The late Rosebella Awuor and her unborn child are two of the latest five deaths in a single family where her husband and two children died before the age of 2 from malaria. Rosebella’s 11-year-old son, now in his aunt's custody, is their family's only surviving member.
Although malaria is preventable and curable, Wilson Otieno, a patient admitted three times for the disease, says “Malaria is never pocket-friendly.” Oswal Omondi, a medical officer says, "As a health care worker you would like to give the drug of choice for the first line which is artesunate but the patients don't get it from the pharmacy due to either unavailability or the cost.”
Thus, Dr Willis Akhwale, special adviser for the Kenya End Malaria Council, feels Kenya needs to invest in new-generation medicines to address treatment-resistant cases. Hope may be in sight as last year Kenya participated in a pilot of the world's first malaria vaccine and Kenyan-based Universal Corporation Limited received the World Health Organisation’s approval to produce an antimalarial drug called Spaq.
Meanwhile, flooding across Kenya could lead to a surge in malaria cases so the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) is currently distributing 15.3 million Long-Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) in 22 counties, protecting a population of 27 million individuals from the risk of malaria. Additionally, indoor residual spraying (IRS) was conducted in Busia County in March 2024, covering 95 per cent of target structures, with ongoing activities in Migori County.
There’s a clear awareness of malaria’s harrowing impact and concerted efforts from all relevant stakeholders to achieve a malaria-free future for all Kenyans. However, swift drug innovation as was seen with the COVID-19 response, promises more lasting results. So all eyes are on the drug manufacturers and policymakers who either support or impede the latter's efforts.
HEADLINES
This week's main stories
- Flooding claims 210 lives as Cyclone Hidaya nears: Torrential rains have caused widespread flooding and landslides across Kenya and are forecast to worsen throughout May. Consequently, President William Ruto announced that schools would not reopen until further notice and urged people living in informal settlements near dams and water reservoirs to evacuate.
- World Immunisation Week kicks off across the country: The goal of the week was to reach all eligible populations with life-saving vaccines. Some of the latest vaccines the Ministry of Health has introduced include pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV), rotavirus, malaria and human papillomavirus (HPV). During Nandi county’s celebrations, Laban Talam, Reproductive Health Coordinator, said the HPV vaccine for girls between ages 10 and 14 is safe and effective, demystifying the myths around it.
- Government finally automates patient records: Nakuru County’s Department of Health is reviewing the implementation progress of the Kenya Electronic Medical Records (EMR) roadmap aimed at digitising all medical records to help the county go paperless. “Once the EMR is implemented countrywide, no patient would be required to walk around with medical records since everything would be available at the touch of a button”, said County Director for ICT Leonard Kirui.
INSIGHT
No “A”, No Say
The doctors’ strike entered its 50th day this week. Since March 14th, doctors have been protesting the government’s failure to post medical interns and fulfil the 2017 CBAs on doctors’ labour terms. The agreement, signed by the previous government’s administration, promised higher salaries, better working conditions and the recruitment of doctors.
While the government has resolved 17 out of the 19 issues in the CBA, doctors are dissatisfied with the monthly salary offer of Ksh.70,000 for the medical interns versus the Ksh.206,000 set in the CBA. President William Ruto has called on doctors to end the strike, citing financial constraints that hinder the government from fulfilling the wage asks.
Medics who’ve taken to the streets have been labelled a public nuisance and are even using memes to advocate for themselves. For instance, “Mambo ya A, achia watu wa A” meaning government officials who didn’t get As in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) should stay out of matters concerning medical students who got A’s and know their worth.
In solidarity, Kahura Mundia, Deputy National Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Practitioners Pharmacists and Dentists Union says, “Kenya cannot afford to mismanage doctors’ affairs by legitimising the violation of collective bargaining agreements, promotion of wage slavery, labour abuse and exploitative labour practices.”
It’s no secret that poor compensation negatively impacts employee livelihood and morale and for doctors, this can seep into patient care. Wrong diagnoses and minimal education on illnesses are common challenges faced by patients who are now going without treatment due to the strike. A healthy doctor is just as important as a healthy patient and we encourage you to reflect on who to assign blame to and potential resolutions.
NEWS
What else we learned
- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is funding research to develop next-generation ultrasound devices that are already helping Kenyan nurses identify high-risk pregnancies like carrying triplets. The foundation is also partnering with AI health tech companies to speed up the training process for nurses.
- Zipline, a drone delivery service firm, marked its one-millionth delivery after two bags of IV fluid made their way to a local health facility in Ghana. They’re also taking HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment products in Kenya to new heights through their partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
- According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, 56.9% of men are living with mental illness and three men share their mental health journeys. “I mourned my father for seven years. That lack left me with a feeling I cannot explain yet people assume boys or men are just okay because they’re not talking or crying,” Samson Ouma shares.
One-liners
- US charity trains medics to improve health care in rural Kenya
- Kenya Approves Land and Funding for Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre (EA-RCC)
- Resource-Appropriate Cancer Care, Including Coexisting Health Issues of HIV and Cancer, to be Addressed During Meeting in Nairobi
- Kiambu County Promotes 700 Health Workers
REGION
What’s happening next door?
[UG] Government to inject over sh.570b into private vaccine factory: Dr Monica Musenero, the Minister of Technology & Innovation, said the money will enable the factory to produce its first batch of medication including generics like antibiotics and syrups by the end of next month. The medication will then be supplied to the Ministry of Health for distribution. [Read]
[UG] Uganda considers bailout for struggling vaccine factory: Dei BioPharma, first established to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, is on the verge of losing its property due to a defaulted loan of $100 million from Equity Bank Kenya. The Ugandan government now seeks to bail out the company after Magola reportedly requested an additional $600 million for operational needs. [Read]
[TZ] 119,796 girls in Mtwara to get HPV vaccine to combat cervical cancer: The girls will receive a single dose through a five-day mass vaccination programme that seeks to increase uptake of the HPV vaccine, awareness about cervical cancer, and use of self-care practices. [Read]
[BJ] Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone launch malaria vaccination programs: The World Health Organization-approved vaccine is meant to work alongside existing tools such as bed nets to combat malaria, which in Africa kills nearly half a million children under the age of 5 each year. [Read]
[RW] Rwanda to use the UNESCO model to reduce teenage pregnancies The Rwandan government and women’s rights advocates are translating a UNESCO toolkit into Kinyarwanda at a cost of nearly Rwf1 billion. This toolkit will assist parents, teachers, and guardians in educating children and youth on sexual and reproductive health to address teen pregnancies. [Read]
EXTRA
Boric acid: spending 3,000 shillings for a false cure
“Kenyans are in the habit of copying what’s in vogue because so and so is an influencer and they said it works so let me try it.” - Dr Nelly Bosire
The “it” in question here is boric acid and Dr Bosire, an obstetrician and gynaecologist, confirms that you don’t need it to regulate your pH as the vagina is self-cleansing. Yeast is a fungal infection so the recommended treatment is an anti-fungal and you can learn more from gynaecologists on the cons of using boric acid below.
Edna Mwenda
When an advertisement appears across your social media feeds, it may be an invitation to try it out but if the seller can’t cite credible scientific sources and doesn’t encourage you to consult your gynaecologist, that’s a red flag every day of the month.
That’s it from us this week. Be honest, now that you’re done reading (or skimming through), what captured you the most? Let us know through our feedback email below and subscribe to receive this weekly.