Malaria still haunting pregnant mothers
Despite modern advances in medicine and the effort that the government is doing malaria is still haunting pregnant women in Bungoma county annually.
Speaking during the world malaria day held at Busakala secondary school in Kabuchai constituency, the county executive committee member (CECM) for health in the county government of Bungoma Steven Kokonya said pregnant mothers are at a high risk to malaria infections across the county.
He said that the renewed onslaught of distributing the treated nets against the parasite would also curtail all avoidable deaths associated with malaria.
“Malaria has been one of the foremost killer of mothers and children across the county, but with the introduction of free treated nets by the government we expect certainly drastic reduction in cases of malaria infections and deaths in our communities and villages”. Kokonya said.
The CECM said for every thirty five seconds, a child unnecessarily dies from this horrible disease despite modern technology, modern medicine, and awareness.
He noted that in recent times, numerous pregnant women and children who were victims of malaria had lost their lives due mainly to the resistance of malaria parasite to known drugs for the treatment of the ailment but stressed that with the introduction of long lasting insecticide treated nets, cases of malaria infections would be drastically reduced in the in the whole county.
According to him the tradition of many families using the acquired treated nets in housing the chicks and kales has spark the rate at which most of the hospitals and dispensaries are recording for malaria.
“The disease is more devastating, contributing negative effects to both the mother and the fetus. The effects include maternal anemia, miscarriages, premature babies, low birth weight and death.” The CECM echoed.
He claimed that while these settings are presented as two distinct epidemiological conditions, the intensity of transmission and immunity in pregnant women occurs on a scale, with potentially diverse condition.
Kokonya stated that it has been estimated that malaria is responsible for thirty five per cent of severe anemia during pregnancy.
Women with severe anaemia are at higher risk for morbidity such as congestive heart failure, fetal demise, and mortality associated with blood loss at the time of delivery.
However he cautioned the community health practitioners to scheme mechanism of helping old people who have also been infected by malaria.
“Old people are as much at risk as young turtles and malaria now days it sweeps the old and young because they are weak they do not have energy to defend themselves.” he added.
He also asked the national government to adhere to the new dispensation and release the devolved fund for the health sector in the county to easy its operation. He lamented on the slow pace at which the latter is doing to the healthy sector.
“The malaria drugs should be fully funded by the national government but because it is our father we are not supporting what it is doing let it pave the way for devolution to work on its own.” He jammed.
He said though there is need to increase technical capacity and financial resources to tackle infectious diseases effectively, the ministry have to get the funds that the treasury is holding.
He assured the public that there is enough free malaria drugs in every public hospitals and dispensaries across the county.
The public were encouraged to steer up the campaign for free malaria society.
Chief officer in charge of health Bernard Mureka urged the members of the public to seek medication in public health centers for free rather than wasting a lot of money in the private health care.
