Lodwar- May 26, 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

The Department for Health and Sanitation held talks with International Rescue Committee (IRC), UNICEF, and World Health Organization (WHO) among other partners in the health sector to discuss rapid response updates on the recently reported cholera outbreak in Kalobeyei Settlement in Turkana West.

During the meeting, all the strategic response interventions and areas of emergency preparedness and response plan such as surveillance, contact tracing and many more across the county were discussed.

Chairing the meeting, the Deputy Director for Medical Services, Dr Bonventure Ameyo emphasized the need for strengthening county and sub-county rapid response activities clustered around coordination, surveillance especially in identified hotspots and points of entry.

“We need to strengthen awareness creation and risk communication, commodity prepositioning and management, case management, laboratory and logistical management, water sanitation and hygiene/infection prevention,” he added.

The first Cholera outbreak case was reported on May 18, 2025 in Kalobeyei, and the patient was admitted to Amusai Health Facility. Out of a few specimen samples collected, three were found positive.

For quality assurance, more samples were collected and five tested positive.

Out of the nine initial cases, three were from Natukobenyo and six from Amusait.

Six out of nine patients have been discharged, and three are still receiving treatment.

There have been four new cases reported and the patients are receiving treatment.

So far, a total of seven cases have been reported out of all the 16 samples collected.

As of today there has been one case in Kakuma 1, two cases in Kakuma 2, one case in Kakuma 3, four cases in Kalobeyei Settlement (Kalobeyei H7-3, Kalobeyei H11-4, and Kalobeyei H13).