Turkana health authorities on high alert over Mpox
The hands of a patient recovering from Mpox.
Health authorities in Turkana County are on high alert over a possible Mpox outbreak.
Lake Turkana is the hub of a profitable regional fish trade, producing 30,000 metric tonnes of fish valued at around Sh2 billion annually.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkana's main export market for fish, has the overwhelming majority of Mpox cases in Africa.
This situation has seen the World Health Organisation declare the Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
Residents say that at least three trucks leave Kalokol, the main town along the shores of Lake Turkana, with at least 300 bales of dried tilapia fish transported to Lubumbashi and Kasai towns by road through Uganda.
"We are worried that if stringent measures to protect us from the virus are not put in place, there will be an outbreak of the virus in our town that faces water scarcity challenges," Mr James Ekai said.
He said that fishing was the main economic activity along the lake, and therefore, there was a need to create public awareness about the disease among the fishermen.
The County Department of Health and Sanitation has developed an emergency preparedness and response plan to prevent a possible Mpox outbreak.
County Health Executive Longole Wangoris said that Turkana is classified as a high-risk county due to several factors, including fish traders from DR Congo who physically interact daily with fisherfolk along Lake Turkana.
"Geographically, the county borders Uganda, Ethiopia, and South Sudan and records influx of new refugees into Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement," Mr Wangiros said.
The emergency preparedness and response plan was unveiled during an Mpox sensitisation meeting on Saturday that was supported by Core Group Partners’ Project, through the International Rescue Committee, targeting the county health management team and representatives from development partners.
The county official emphasised the importance of health worker safety in the preparedness plan and highlighted the need for personal protective equipment (PPEs).
“The department will also be seeking to establish an emergency operations center as an important part of the preparedness,” he said.
He also mentioned plans to engage with relevant stakeholders, including water and tourism sector players, to support surveillance and public sensitisation, noting the significance of proper messaging.
The County Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health, Cathra Abdi, said there was a need to borrow from previous plans on Covid-19 for effectiveness.
