Migori, Kenya: Hellen Odongo and Nancy Akinyi know the pain of drinking dirty water. They have watched in despair as their children hurt after contracting waterborne diseases. On many occasions, they have spent all their meagre resources seeking medical attention.
They find themselves in this situation, not by their own making, but because of where nature has placed them.
Their homes in Migori County expose them to cholera and other diseases because of dirty water.
Hellen, 50, says taking care of the family’s well-being has left her in want. To keep her five children healthy through the years, she has had to keep the disease at bay by spending nearly all her resources.
Says Hellen: “All my children have suffered from diseases that cause diarrhoea. This has been rampant in most families. Some families have lost their loved ones. The problem is the water. Even boiling it has not helped us at all.”
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This is sad because all they need to do is treat the water.
Treatment kits
There are many such treatment kits in the market but lack of knowledge leaves the residents in pain. Chlorine in different forms has been on sale for years but, it seems, the people do not know the magic of adding just a drop to their water - to keep them safe.
The recent outbreak of cholera in the county has pushed people to action. But just before this happened, an organisation, Evidence Action Africa, had placed 140 chlorine dispensers at various water points in the sub-counties.
These are filled with chlorine, which users put into their water containers every time they visit water points.
Norah Otieno, from Rongo Sub-County, is one of the users. Norah and about 300 other users of the dispensers were not affected by the current wave of cholera ravaging the region.
Migori County does not have piped water thus putting its residents at risk of contracting water-borne diseases.
With the entire population depending on open and untreated sources of drinking water, the threat of such diseases is a reality.
River Riana, the largest one in the county, has been singled out as the carrier of disease.
According to Laliteswar Kumar, Evidence Action Africa’s regional director, the provision of chlorine dispensers seeks to eliminate the danger of water-related diseases, which are common in the county.
“Water, a very vital commodity at the household level has been identified as the number one cause of disease. We are not only looking at being sick but also factoring in the poverty brought about by regular hospital visits. The inspiration to come up with the chlorine dispensers is anchored in our quest to boost health and ensure that households save for more demanding financial commitments like paying school fees for their children.”
The programme, which was first pioneered in Busia County, has also been identified as a key plank in reducing child mortality in the counties that bear the highest burden.
“Another inspiration is that we want to help boost the chances of children surviving. Developing countries like Kenya still record high numbers of child mortality and unclean water is a major contributor to the high toll. We are looking at the devolved units as a new opportunity for us to tackle this national challenge. For us, the best way is to ensure that the people use clean water.”
The organisation particularly focuses on women, the primary consumers of water.
“They determine which water the households consume and use for various chores. That is why we are giving them the power to ensure clean water for their families.”
Women leaders have been identified to help fellow women put the correct measurement of chlorine in their water. These leaders use mobile phones to reach the store keepers for fresh stocks.
The county is currently battling a cholera outbreak which has claimed more than seven lives. But the users of chlorine are safe.
Managing cholera
According to the County Community Health Services Coordinator, Tom Ondong’, the initiative has been crucial in managing the danger of cholera.
“After the outbreak, the incidence survey conducted showed that households with access to the chlorine dispensers did not suffer from cholera. The dispensers contributed a great deal in mitigating the otherwise dangerous threat. Given the gains made, we are exploring the availability of funding in order to partner and scale up the number of households with access to the dispensers.”
Currently, the county is on a daily countdown to declaring itself cholera free.
Among the key messages to the population has been the need for drinking clean and safe water at the household level.
According to the Rongo Sub-County Public Health Officer, Richard Aranda, who is in the cholera management committee, access to clean water remains key in the battle.
“Seven people visit hospital every day because of cholera. We are slowly working towards declaring zero incidence. Our biggest message to the people has been the use of clean water. So far, those under the programme are out of danger,” he says.
