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Category: Health

  • “…Now I know better. I will read and verify before I share”

    By Hellen Owuor

    hellenowuor10@gmail.com

    PHOTO: Hellen Owuor

    “ My life was consumed by fear and panic for the better part of 2020. I was constantly on my phone reading messages and watching videos on Facebook or WhatsApp about COVID-19 and how people are randomly collapsing on the streets and dead bodies everywhere. Sadly, I now realize that this information fueled my fear yet most of it was false,” Nina says as she strokes her kitten back and forth. “To a point, it affected my relationship with some of my friends and family because I didn’t want to visit anyone nor to be visited,” she adds.

    Amid the confusion and trying to grasp any information available about COVID-19, many fell victim to misinformation with some believing in the existence of the virus and others not. For example, on one extreme some people believed that COVID-19 does not exist, or that it doesn’t affect Africans. As a result, they ignored directives from the government and other entities such as the World Health Organization urging them to take protective measures. On the other extreme, some chose to believe myths such as COVID-19 is caused by simply talking to an infected person, therefore, locking themselves indoors. Ernestine says, “ A friend of mine bought 50kgs of rice which has now expired since he lives alone.” Panic buying was evident in Kenya having people stocking cereals, tissue rolls, sanitizers, and even drugs.

    The panic was fueled by misinformation on COVID-19 through videos, images, and texts that were constantly shared across social media intentionally or unintentionally. The root of misinformation is an individual or group that disseminates information intending to harm another group resulting in a political, social, or economical gain. These individuals prey on innocent social media users thirsting for information to help spread misinformation. This is seen in the case of COVID-19 where many believed, shared, and acted based on misinformation received.

    Apart from Kenyan citizens, the Government of Kenya has also fallen victim to the COVID-19 infodemic. Misinformation has poked holes in the trust some Kenyans once had in their government slowing down the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Health Practitioners to administer the COVID-19 vaccines and eradicate the virus. In 2021 when it is expected that everyone would be running for the vaccine, some Kenyans are still hesitant on getting the jabs. As of June 10, 2021, Kenya was ranked at number 25 out of 48 countries in Africa having 1.97 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people compared to Seychelles with the highest in Africa at 139.51 vaccine doses per 100 people (Statista). At the continental level, by June 17, 2021, Africa had the second-lowest number of COVID-19 doses administered out of six continents. 

    Through interactions with some citizens, it is clear that some took the vaccines because of circumstances and not out of their own will. When asked to talk about how they feel about vaccination and the government’s conduct, this is what some Kenyans had to say.

    Below are some of the misleading information that has led to the friction between the government and its people:

    In February 2020, a plane from China carrying 239 passengers landed in Kenya, when most countries affected by COVID-19 at the time had closed their borders. This act led to an uproar among Kenyans, coming at a time when China accounted for the bulk of COVID-19 cases. At the time, some messages were circulating on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter falsely claiming that COVID-19 was created in a lab in China. The lengthy message was posted on Twitter by Aly Khan Satchu, a verified user, giving the content more visibility and reach.

    In January 2021, a photo of boxes labeled ‘Remdesivir for Injection’ which has a list of African countries marked as ‘Not for distribution in the US, CANADA or EU’ showed up on social media and gained traction. This was around the time that several studies on the efficacy of redeliver in reducing the severity of COVID-19 infection. The misleading post was shared on Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp, with some posts claiming that the drug was meant to wipe out Africans. This information was debunked by Piga Firimbi, an online fact-checking site, which indicated that the drug was not a COVID-19 vaccine. This was also confirmed on a Twitter post by Cipla, the manufacturer of the drug shown in the photo.

    In May 2021, another misleading message that was widely shared on WhatsApp claimed that Luc Montagnier, a French virologist, had stated that those who have received the Covid-19 vaccine would die within 2 years. A link attached to this WhatsApp post refuted the claims that Luc Montagnier made such a statement through an article on (Life Site News). 

    It is difficult to decipher whether a well-crafted sensational message is false if one does not have the skills. Nina says, “I innocently shared information not knowing it was false. I was not even aware that people can take their time to try and manipulate others through such sensitive information. At least now I know better. I will read and verify before I share.” 

    Just like Nina, other Kenyans are also contributing to misinformation about COVID-19. This is a call to you who is reading this: Be different. For whatever information you read, hear or watch, first, verify it then decide if it is worth sharing. Some tips on how to verify information include consulting professionals on the subject matter, following and consulting fact-checking sites like Piga Firimbi and Pesa Check, and attending training on how to identify false information. One step at a time will take us a long way in saving the lives and health of our citizens by eradicating misinformation about COVID-19.

    This publication was produced as part of IWPR’s Africa Resilience Network (ARN) program, administered in partnership with the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR), the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), and Africa Uncensored. For more information on ARN, please visit the ARN site.

  • Mombasa on high alert as 3 test positive for Indian Variant

    by Catherine Njau

    (njaucatherine3@gmail.com)

    Mombasa Public Health Chief Officer Pauline Oginga and Woman Rep Asha Mohammed receive equipment for fighting COVID-19 from Pathfinder County Director Solomon Omariba. Photo/ Laban Walloga.

    Mombasa County is on high alert after three people tested positive for the highly infectious Indian variant of Covid-19. This comes after the Ministry of Health (MOH) reported the first case of the Indian variant on May 5, days after it was detected in neighboring Uganda.

    In Mombasa, the two of the three patients who tested positive had arrived in the country between April 18 and 19, through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. They later travelled to Mombasa by road, however, it has remained unclear how they managed to arrive in Mombasa.

    A presidential directive was in place, barring movement out of and into Nairobi at the time. One of the patients is a Kenyan to have travelled to India to attend to a patient and returned on April 18; the other is an Indian national who works in Kenya and arrived on April 19.

    Mombasa County’s public health chief officer Pauline Oginga, spoke to the Star saying “The two started manifesting symptoms days after arriving. They were placed in isolation as samples were taken to Kemri in Kilifi for testing and obtained positive results for the Indian variant.”

    Oginga said when the two arrived in Kenya, their results were negative but a few days later they developed symptoms and got tested again. She said the surveillance team has intensified tracing of those who interacted with them and also those who interacted with their contacts.

    The third case was from an individual who had travelled with a sick patient to Mombasa and later developed symptoms. As another case has also been reported in Samburu village, Kwale County. Ms Pauline Oginga said they were working closely with the national government to ensure contact tracing is done for all the passengers who arrived with the two patients.

    Upon the detection of the B.1.617 variant from India, the health ministry’s director general, Dr Patrick Amoth said, “This variant has been picked (up) in Kenya and because of global connectivity; it is just a question of time. You cannot be able to put barriers … to prevent a virus from accessing your territory.

    The case was detected among samples taken from Indian travellers who were working in Kisumu, a city in western Kenya, he added. No further details were provided. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said the B.1.617 variant of Covid-19, which was first found in India, has now been reported in more than a dozen countries.

    According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control, 20 countries are currently reporting the B.1.1.7 variant of coronavirus that was first detected in the United Kingdom in September 2020.

    The countries are Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Gabon, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Togo and Tunisia.

  • CDC eases mask-wearing guidelines for fully vaccinated

    by Sumaya Hussein

    (husseinsumaya1@gmail.com)

    A commuter receives a free vaccine at the Coney Island Station in Brooklyn – Photo/The Guardian

    The director of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday said that fully vaccinated Americans can now participate in most outdoor activities, without wearing a mask or social distancing.

    The CDC head, Rochelle Walensky, revealed the agency’s new mask guidance during a White House briefing on coronavirus.

    “Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing. If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.”

    However, fully vaccinated people are still required to wear their masks while using public transport including buses, trains ad airplanes. Walensky said that the CDC is continuing to review its travel policies, but did not explain reasoning behind Thursday’s announcement.

    “Right now for travel we are asking people to continue to wear their masks,” she said.

    Moreover, the CDC noted that vaccinated people should continue following the existing state, local or tribal laws and regulations on masks and social distancing, as well as policies at businesses and workplaces.

    Consequently, as of Friday morning, the rules looked very different from one state, city or county to the next.

    US President Joe Biden heralded the CDC’s announcement in an outdoor press conference hours later saying, “The CDC is saying, they have concluded that fully vaccinated people are at a very, very, low risk of getting Covid-19. Therefore, if you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask,” said Biden. “Let me repeat: if you are fully vaccinated, you no longer need to wear a mask.”

    Walensky also said: “We have all longed for this moment when we can get back to some sense of normalcy. Based on the continuing downward trajectory of cases, the scientific data on the performance of our vaccines and our understanding of how the virus spreads, that moment has come for those who are fully vaccinated.”

    To some, the announcement is a significant step in resuming pre-covid life, but others remain skeptical about the decision to ease the restrictions.

    Jeniffer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health said she expects mask-wearing to continue in transportation settings, as well as some other places open to the public, such as grocery stores.

    “I really don’t expect public settings to change that much until case numbers come down,” said Nuzzo.

  • Man found dead inside parked car in Kisumu

    By Aloise Munene

    (aloisestevest@gmail.com)

    Vehicle in which the man was found – Photo/ Citizen Digital

    Police officers in Kisumu are investigating the mysterious death of a 33-year-old man whose body was found on Wednesday in a stationary vehicle outside a petrol station in the Otonglo area of Kisumu.

    A security guard manning the station noticed a suspicious vehicle that seemed to have been oddly abandoned at the side of the Kisumu-Kisian road for a long period. According to the witness report recorded by Vincent Odongo, the security guard, the man was lying unconscious on his left side across from the driver’s seat to the front passenger’s seat. He raised alarm upon his discovery.

    The vehicle, a white Toyota Vitz registered KCW 646J, showed no signs of forced entry by a second party as the police found it locked when they arrived at the scene.

    The man, who was later identified as Habel Oile, was confirmed dead by detectives who broke into the vehicle.

    Preliminary investigations reveal that the car was seen parking the previous night, but the guards on duty do not recall seeing anyone alighting or boarding it.

    According to the County Police Commissioner Samuel Anampiu, the death is currently being treated as a suicide. The case’s direction was influenced by the investigation’s inability to determine whether other occupants had been in the vehicle and the discovery of a 25mm empty insecticide bottle inside the vehicle’s glove compartment.

    The body was taken to Kisumu Referral Hospital’s mortuary for post-mortem analysis.

  • WHO classifies India variant as ‘global concern’

    By Rozanne Nthambi.

    (rozannenthambi37@gmail.com)

    A Covid-19 patient rests inside a banquet hall temporarily converted into a Covid care centre in New Delhi – AFP

    The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday classified the Coronavirus variant first found in India, as a global “variant of concern”. The organization said studies of the variant known as B.1.617, show that it may be more transmissible than others.

    Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical lead for Covid-19 in the WHO said that the variant may also be able to evade some of the protections provided by vaccines. The shots, however, are still considered effective.

    “And as such, we are classifying this as a variant of concern at the global level,” said Maria in a press conference. “Even though there is increased transmissibly demonstrated by some preliminary studies, we need much more information about this variant in this lineage, in all of the sub lineages, so we need more sequencing, targeted sequencing to be done.”

    According to WHO, a variant can be labeled as “of concern” if it has been shown to be more contagious, more deadly or more resistant to current vaccines and treatments.

    The group however issued a clarification to their earlier remarks to state that Covid-19 vaccines “remain effective at preventing disease and death in people infected with this variant.”

    WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom attends a press conference on July 3, 2020 – CNBC

    India is in a critical place as the country is recording hundreds of thousands of new cases each day, with more than 366,000 cases reported on Monday alone. Moreover, the country is averaging about 3,879 Covid deaths per day, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University.

    WHO says the variant has already spread to more than 30 countries including the US, UK, France and Japan.

    The surge in India rose rapidly last month, overwhelming hospitals of the harders hit cities in the country.

    “This is unlike the first wave. And so I think what we’re seeing is more transmissible,” said Soumya Swaminsthan, Chief Scientist at WHO.

    The Wall Street Journal released reports saying that only 2% of India’s population have been vaccinated, out of a population of 1.4 billion people, making the country largely vulnerable.

    The WHO however does not recomment border closures, saying countries should take a nuanced assessment before imposing restrictions and disruptions to global travel.

  • THE MYSTERY OF RESUSCITATING A LIFESAVER

    By: Frank Oyosa

    f.oyosa@gmail.com

    Thumbnail Photo Courtesy of 1EEE Spectrum

    Like any other national adversity, the outbreak of Covid-19, brought forth the spirit of innovation and invention by various stakeholders within the country in collaborative efforts to at least decrease the diverse effects of the pandemic. In this spirit, when the government through the ministry of health expressed concern that the country is in dire need of ventilators, the spirit of local innovation was awakened triggering professional bodies as well as university students to put their best foot forward to manufacture this vital lifesaving equipment. Among these, were 16 Kenyatta University students from various schools who a few months later, their diligent efforts bore fruits upon the unveiling of the first-ever student assembled ventilator prototype in the country and probably across East and Central Africa. 

    Like a newborn baby, the unveiling of Tiba Vent as they called it was received with enthusiasm and congratulatory messages flowing left, right, and center. And as it would be expected, the government was not left behind in applauding the contribution of local stakeholders such as these for their efforts to be part of the solution. Precisely put, it appeared like the health sector’s plight had just been resolved, at least with the government promising not only their hundred percent support to the students but also to procure the machines once they were ready for the market. Of course, this was a huge motivation to many other innovators who were determined to help save humanity that indeed their input can be acknowledged and appreciated. 

    The students from medicine, pharmacy, nursing, electrical and mechanical engineering together with their lecturers had hoped to see the equipment in the hospitals within few months. Unfortunately, what this team of optimistic scholars, tutors, and the citizens were not told was that they would have to wait a little longer to see the precious machine in action. One would expect that seeing the attention with which the news was received and the desperate state in which the health sector was in at the moment, the certification process of the Tiba Vent prototype would be expedited for it and its forthcoming brothers to start saving lives. On the contrary, 1 year down the line, the ventilator remains unattended to at the approval stage gathering dust in its lifeless state within four walls of the university maternity lab where it was born. 

    Coming at a time when there were only 270 ICU beds with few having ventilators, against the surging number of emergency Covid-19 cases, it is quite a puzzle that such an effective and affordable locally manufactured lifesaving machine would take that long to be approved. And to think that the students had already guaranteed a full-fledged production unit capable of producing 50 ventilators a week! What more would the government wish for? Furthermore, it is to be remembered that the doctors did confirm the capabilities of the ventilator, and the Kenya Bureau of Standard (KEBS) affirming this. All that remained was certification by the Pharmacy and Poisons board. Why would they take their sweet time on this process that doesn’t sound too complex?

    The Tiba Vent Ventilator prototype Photo Courtesy of KU GIS Lab

    Another reason why this process ought to have been hastened is the time and financial implication it takes to import a ventilator. On a rough estimate, importing one such equipment into the country would mean several months of waiting and a budget of between 2.5 to 5 million Kenya shillings. Compare that with the time it would take for a 500,000 Kenya shillings alternative machine being produced in quantities of 50 a week to be transported from Kenyatta University to hospitals across the country. Doesn’t this raise some curiosity? Of course, it does!

    Could it be that we Kenyans just never learn or there is something deeper than that? This country has had a history of egocentric bureaucrats, and it is difficult not to imagine that the delay might be a result of self-centered individuals who want to reap big and stuff money into their pockets through corrupt deals. But then again, there is the nightmare that is double standards! You cannot be encouraging local innovations on one hand and the other hand, you are allowing the bureaucracy to hinder these innovations from serving their purpose. The CS for industrialization is on record stating that after the heights of the pandemic, Kenyans should continue to embrace the spirit of innovation. But with such things happening, how are these innovators to be encouraged? 

    The students explaining how the ventilator works Photo Courtesy of People Daily

    Let us for once think about all the students and young professionals who had been inspired by the invention of this ventilator, only to learn that 1 year down the line nothing much has come out of it. And the delay is not from the inventors but the entity tasked with licensing the equipment. I wonder what could be going through their mind at the moment. Since several other entities had tried their hand in the manufacture of this machine but backed out due to its complexity, the least the government could do was to appreciate the efforts of this team by having the product out as first as possible. Even if they do not earn from it, their hearts will be at peace by virtue that their efforts are saving lives. 

    Now the vaccine is here with us and as is our nature, we are already throwing tantrums “What is wrong with our researchers? Can’t they get into those lab coats and give us local vaccine!” Of course, most of us don’t trust what is coming from outside, and it is not that we cannot produce ours. But let us pause for a moment and think about it. If certifying a ventilator can take up to 1 year or even more, won’t the vaccine be approved when we are dealing with an alien invasion! Well, it is understandable that the ventilator and even the vaccine are both extremely delicate lifesavers that balance between life and death, but it is often said that extraordinary circumstances call for extraordinary measures. I bet the MOH relates with this quite well. Can we for once then stop acting normally as the Kenyan Government and fast-track the approval of such vital equipment.

    All said and done, the country is staring at more deadly impacts of the Covid-19 third wave having already cost us more than 50 lives within 1 month. The press briefings are back again, the lockdowns are already in effect…again and the economy does not seem like it will favor the Wanjiku any time soon. With this third wave becoming more dangerous, ferocious, and fatal, it allows the concerned parties to redeem themselves and demonstrate that indeed they not only appreciate the efforts of the student and academic institutions in the area of research but are also committed to supporting local approaches by Kenyans to save Kenyans. 

  • PHOTO STORY: DC3 HEALTH WEEK AND CHAPEL

    From 7th to 11th October Daystar Compassion and Care Centre, hosted health week in Athi River Campus.

    Find photos from the health week and the DC3 chapel below.

    Photos courtesy of: Joseph Gichari

    Josephndungo55@gmail.com

    Click here to read about the Health Awareness week