Members of various groups of development projects, community-based organisations, and administrative officers in South B division, Nairobi County, collaborated in a clean-up exercise at Mukuru-Kayaba slum in Starehe sub-county over the weekend.
The community health spokesperson in Landi Mawe ward, Ms Jane Mbula, said the main objective of the event was to clean up in order to counter the alarming cholera cases reported in the Mukuru area.
Health officials on Monday confirmed a 32-year-old man in the Bundalangi area of Mukuru-Kaiyaba slum, a woman, and her daughter had contracted cholera.
According to authorities, last week, one person died of the disease at Mukuru-Maasai slum in South B division.
Owing to the danger faced by residents of Mukuru, local administration officials teamed with the health department officials to spray the entire area in a bid to curb the spread of the disease.
According to Ms Mbula, the victim had symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea but complained of severe stomach pain.
Following the incident, residents have been instructed to observe high standards of hygiene while food and fruit vendors were urged to maintain cleanliness.
“After five cases of cholera were reported in Mukuru-Maasai slum where one person was confirmed dead and four hospitalized, and another case reported in Mukuru-Kaiyaba street today, we have no choice but to clean up and mobilize the residents,” said Ms Mbula.
During the function, more than 150 participants unclogged drainage in areas neighbouring Sancta Maria-Mukuru Primary School among other parts of the slum.
Ms Mbula added that after finishing the cleaning, the participants sacrificed their time instead of going home and set aside their time to plant trees at Mukuru Primary School grounds.
South B acting County Commissioner, Samuel Kimeu Ndambuki encouraged residents in Mukuru to embrace health protocols to control cholera.
“People must boil water, wash their hands using soap and running water every time before and after eating food and use toilets in accordance as well as maintaining high standards of health,” said Mr Kimeu.
“The man was taken to the hospital and doctors confirmed that he indeed had cholera.”
