Busia children continue to suffer after malaria injection gone awry

Ten of the 28 children who were paralysed after receiving injections at Akichelesit Dispensary in Busia County have now developed more health complications.

Parents yesterday recounted how the health of their children had deteriorated after they failed to get treatment from public hospitals.

Abel Okiror said his seven- year-old daughter Vivian Asere cannot understand what she is taught neither can she follow simple instructions.

“When I ask her to turn right, she turns left. When I send her to pick something she starts off well, but forgets what I had said midway,” said Mr Okiror.

“She is always complaining of weakness, persistent headache, stomach-ache and high temperatures," Okiror added.

Father and daughter have been in and out of hospitals without much help.

"I am always seeking medication for my daughter. She is unable to walk and all the dreams I had for her are fading by each passing day right before my eyes," he said sorrowfully.

Okiror, who is the leader of the parents whose children were affected, said his daughter has been forced to miss school because of the weekly visits to hospitals.

"All tests for malaria and other common ailments are negative. I do not know what is ailing my daughter since she was injected last year," he said.

Okiror is not alone in his woes. He said 10 other children of the 28 are not mentally stable.

Stephen Osiya was told last year that his seven-year-old son was suffering from polio.

"My son has developed wounds on his foot and he is unable to walk," he said.

Like Okiror's daughter, the son also experiences delayed response to instructions.

"He is sometimes mentally disturbed as he does not get instructions correctly. I am afraid the situation is worsening every day and it is becoming hard for me to treat him," said Mr Osiya.

Another parent, Mathew Edejai, said teachers had asked him to keep his son at home since he is unable to learn anything.

He was also advised to seek proper treatment for his child before taking him back to school.

"I have been told to stay with my child at home because he is frequently out of school seeking medication. He is unable to cope up with other pupils because of his condition," said Mr Edejai.

He is pleading with the authorities or health specialists to come to their aid and save the children.

"Some of the children appear to be mentally disturbed and we do not have any means to treat them. We appeal to the World Health Organisation, both the national and county governments to come to the rescue of the children," he said.

"The county government promised to do fresh screening for the children but nothing has been done. We have been left to fight for our children yet most hospitals in the county lack facilities to offer necessary treatment," added Edejai.

The parents fear that the children might be forced to completely drop out of school because of their illness.

"Some of them do not attend school at all. Why is it that the society and our leaders have forgotten them, leaving them to suffer in their homes?" he posed.

However, Busia County Referral Hospital Medical Superintendent Janerose Ambuchi said the children were suffering from the inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which most commonly occurs as a result of the degeneration of the spinal column that leads to compression of the nerve.

Symptoms include pain, muscle weakness and numbness.

"We referred them to get physiotherapy services at Kocholia Sub-County Hospital, which has equipment to treat their condition. The condition cannot lead to mental sickness," said Dr Ambuchi.

She said according to her records, only four children were still battling with the condition.

"Most of them were treated and responded well to medication. Only four children remained, and I am doing a follow-up to ascertain their current condition," she said.

According to health experts, the children developed sciatic neuritis following a direct injection on the sciatic nerve.

"When injected directly on the sciatic nerve, it leads to numbness of the affected leg. Treatment is through physiotherapy and exercise within the first six months," said a Dr A Mwenesi, a physiotherapist at Kakamega County Referral Hospital.

He said the possible treatment for the children is infra-red heating, heat massage, frequent exercises, stimulation and use of special knee and ankle-supporting devices.

The 28 children developed sciatic neuritis after they were injected to treat malaria in July last year.

The parents said their children have been abandoned and that they find it hard to get treatment.