Lokiriama– June 17, 2026 (Public Communication and Media Relations)

A multi-sectoral Joint Support Supervision (JSS) team has stepped up sensitisation efforts in Lomokori and Lochor-Alomala, Lokiriama Sub-County, educating cross-border communities on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and five key zoonotic diseases to strengthen case identification, management, and referrals to health facilities.

The team engaged residents, health facilities staff, and community health workers, including Community Health Promoters (CHPs), Community Disease Reporters (CDRs), and Community Mobilisers (CMs), on the importance of working together to contain these diseases.

The team outlined the five priority zoonotic diseases including rabies, anthrax, brucellosis, trypanosomiasis, and Rift Valley Fever. They explained how each is transmitted from animals to human beings, and why sensitisation is critical in a county where roughly 60% of residents are pastoralists.

Residents were also informed of an upcoming livestock vaccination exercise scheduled for the coming week in Lokiriama and were encouraged to bring their dogs along as well, given the risk of rabies from dog bites.

Speaking on the importance of these engagements, Simon Echwa, Sub-County Public Health Officer, said the sensitisation drives are closing a critical gap between communities and the health system. “These sessions help residents recognise the early signs before a disease has the chance to spread, and that early recognition saves lives,” he said.

Community members in Lomokori requested intensified screening at border entry points to protect the area from Ebola. They also asked the County Government to rehabilitate a sunken borehole to improve sanitary conditions and bolster EVD preparedness efforts.

Richard Lowoto Lokuruka, MOH Lokiriama, acknowledged the community’s concerns and reaffirmed commitment to addressing them. “Our communities live closely with their livestock, so the risk of zoonotic spillover is real and constant. That is why such sensitisation efforts are crucial in preparing communities before an outbreak strikes,” he said.

Jamal Abdi, Project Manager for IRC’s CGPP in Turkana, commended the communities for their active participation and called for continued collaboration. “These cross-border communities are often the first to notice when something is wrong, whether it is a sick animal or an unusual illness. Our role is to make sure they have the knowledge, attitudes, and confidence to act on that and reach out to health facilities immediately,” he said.

Mzee Echor from Lomokori said the information shared has sharpened his confidence in health services. “Before, I would only hear of diseases like brucellosis but not fully understand how they spread. Now I can explain it to more people, and I have regained trust in seeking health services,” he said.

Lokwayen James, a Community Mobilizer in Lochor-Alomala, noted that the JSS visits help refresh the skills and knowledge of community health workers, positioning them to better educate residents. He observed that animal health and human health were previously handled as separate entities, but since the introduction of the One Health approach, CHPs, CDRs, and CMs now work hand in hand with local administrators to spread information to every household and jointly improve community health outcomes.

This activity, supported by International Rescue Committee (Core Group Partners Project), also included other facilities in Lokiriama Sub-County; Loya, Lorengipi, Lochor-Edome, Lokiriama, Urum, and Namoruputh. The team heads to Turkana West in the coming week to complete this quarterly supervision cycle.

Present were veterinary officers, facility-in-charges, nurses, public health nurses, clerks, among others.