This month ICROSS launches its cholera control programme. In close partnership with communities and the ministry of health as are taking part in District wide Cholera control and prevention. ICROSS health teams working together with Government sanitation teams wil implement a comprehensive cholera programme.
In keeping with WHO guidelines http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/control/en/index.html Apart from prevention, community awareness and improving sanitation, we will be working with the communities in training health workers . Building on our water purification, sanitation and hygiene, waste disposal and food hygiene activities we will extend community and environmental surveillance.
Speaking from the ICROSS Inyonyorri Clinic (celebrating its 25th year serving the Maasai in September) Paul Ole Lasoi said " Water borne disease is a serious problem that causes great suffering to our people",
ICROSS is extending its diarrhoeal programme to work with communities here and throughout the District in this Cholera intervention. Michael Meegan, the founder of ICROSS said in Ngong "Cholera is a very dangerous bacterial infection. It is caused by drinking water that is contaminated or by eating food that has been in contact with contaminated water. As well as the many other water borne infection it can cause severe, watery diarrhoea ,nausea , fever, vomiting and other symptoms.Without fast treatment, about half of people with the most severe symptoms will die within a few hours,usually due to a combination of dehydration and shock , so it is a problem. THis is why the ministry of health have launched this campaign." If cholera is promptly treated with a combination of antibiotics, fluids and oral rehydration solution, the outlook is much better: only 1% of people will die from the disease. The International Director Dr Michael Meegan D Med HC, added that later this year in partnership with other NGOs " we will be launvhing an appeal to raise support to extend our diarrhoea prevention projects "