Following reports of observed deformed feet mostly knocked knees, brown and weakened teeth abnormalities among the children and back pains in young adults and the elderly, a multi-sectoral one-health team of County Officials drawn from the Health, Water and Veterinary Departments with support from the Kenya Red Cross yesterday made the second visit to Kiptulwe and Kamaech villages of Olkokwe location in Mogotio Sub County.
The team has started rolling out targeted interventions to address the crisis through consultations and sensitization of the residents of the two villages on the situation and the possible interventions, after the first response team made a fact-finding tour of the area late May 2024.
The reported abnormalities have been observed in tens of children and adolescents who were below 25 years and is said to occur earlier at the ages of 9 to 10 years. It is also reported that it is common for the older persons to complain of backache, neck pains and headaches with bone pains especially on the lower limbs.
The villagers also reported some abnormality amongst animals -cows, goats and sheep living in the very community. It was noted that the livestock remained wasted, had continuous diarrhea and change of skin-color.
The Community agreed to take the effected children to Marigat Mission Hospital Telemedicine Centre for diagnosis by line experts and subsequent medical management of identified conditions in collaboration with Gertrude's Children's Hospital
The team collected water samples from shallow wells which will be tested immediately to ascertain fluoride levels and other suspected chemicals or causative agents of the anomalies noted among both humans and animals.
In addition to soil and crop sampling and testing, an epidemiological research will be carried out in the affected villages to ascertain the causative agent and design prevention strategies.
The two neighbouring villages have an approximate population of 750 people with Kiptulwe being in Kimyunguny Sub Location of Ngendalel Location, while Kamaech village is in Olkokwe Sublocation, Olkokwe Location all in Mogotio Sub County.
One Health is a multi-sectoral approach to health that leverages on the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health. It recognizes that the health of people is closely linked to the health of animals and the environment, and it aims to achieve optimal health outcomes by promoting collaborative intervention across various sectors and disciplines, including medicine, veterinary medicine, environmental science, public health, agriculture among others.