Nakuru, a significant rise in tuberculosis (TB) cases has been reported, with two in every five Kenyans carrying the disease unknowingly.
According to Kenya News Agency, Ms. Wendy Ntiroke, 40 percent of Kenyans infected with TB remain undetected and untreated, exacerbating the spread of this respiratory disease across the country. Ntiroke expressed concern over this trend, noting that a single undiagnosed individual could infect 10 to 15 others.
The Ministry of Health’s Division of Tuberculosis and Leprosy Programme officials, during a consultative meeting with Nakuru County Government health personnel, identified under-diagnosis in childhood TB as a major challenge. Ntiroke revealed that approximately 22,000 Kenyan children contract TB annually, with about 65 percent of TB cases going undiagnosed each year. The Division’s officials are conducting a week-long comprehensive assessment of TB management in various workplace settings in Nakuru, including factories, flower firms, and public institutions in Rongai, Naivasha, Kuresoi South, and Kuresoi North Sub-Counties.
Detecting TB in children is challenging due to symptoms like cough, fever, weight loss, and reduced playfulness, which resemble common childhood diseases. Ntiroke emphasized the need for proper testing to identify these cases. She also pointed out that many undiagnosed cases might include individuals with symptoms like persistent cough and chest pain who neglect to seek treatment.
The National government, in collaboration with local units and stakeholders, is intensifying advocacy and community engagement to raise awareness about TB prevention and treatment. The Coordinator highlighted the urgency of early diagnosis and treatment, noting the complications arising from drug-resistant TB. Patients with drug-resistant TB require more expensive treatment and strict adherence to medication.
Nakuru County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Health, Ms. Roselyne Mungai, stressed the importance of public-private partnership in raising TB awareness. She called for national support in restocking TB therapy drugs and emphasized the need for data-driven supervision to combat TB effectively. Mungai warned against the misuse of anti-TB drugs, leading to drug-resistant strains like Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) TB and Extensively Drug-Resistant TB (XDR TB).
Mungai also emphasized the need to improve national health systems for better TB detection and immediate treatment. She advocated for public health campaigns to encourage patients to complete their treatments, drawing support from their communities.
Kenya, classified among 30 countries with a high TB burden, records 150,000 to 160,000 cases annually. Among these, 25,000 to 35,000 individuals have infectious open TB without their knowledge. The socio-economic impacts of TB are profound, affecting not only health but also the ability to work and participate in social and economic activities. The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies six major risk factors for TB: HIV infection, malnutrition, exposure to indoor air pollution, alcohol use disorder, diabetes, and smoking.
The County Government is focusing on intensifying TB case identification, improving diagnosis, and ensuring complete recovery of patients to curb this escalating health crisis.