Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has revealed the two diseases which he fears most.
Machogu on Tuesday said since he was born he has suffered from two diseases, the first being malaria which he fears because it took a toll on him.
The CS spoke in Nyamira during the commemoration of World Malaria Day where he was the chief guest.
Machogu narrated how he was infected with malaria while in high school, making him miss school for one month thus harming his grades.
“Way back when I was in Homa Bay at Agoro Sare in Form 6 it almost destroyed my education because it kept me away from school for one month,” Machogu said.
“You can imagine the kind of damage it did and the better grades probably I would have gotten but malaria interfered.”
He said the disease which remains to be a burden, especially in the Lake region of the country interferes with school-going children and adults making them unproductive since they are unable to do the amount of work they are supposed to.
“The other one which I fear most is Covid. If you see me you thank God because I suffered from Covid. I had an attack,” Machogu said.
“I think a few months after it came I was among the first people to get Covid and by God’s grace I got healed.”
Also present during the event were Health CS Susan Wafula and Nyamira Governor Amos Nyaribo among other dignitaries.
The event was organized by the Ministry of Health through the Division of National Malaria Programme.
The day is important as it provides the country with an opportunity to reflect on the achievements and challenges of the past and chart the way for the future.
This year’s World Malaria Day has been organised under the theme, “Time to deliver zero malaria: Invest, innovate, implement.”
The theme underscores the urgent need for action and further investment to achieve zero malaria illness and deaths.
Western Kenya and Nyanza are prone to malaria, while access to health facilities is another problem.
In Kenya, there are an estimated 3.5 million new clinical cases and 10,700 deaths each year.
Those living in Western Kenya have an especially high risk of malaria according to the Centre for Disease and Control Prevention.
