West Pokot Residents Asked to Prioritize TB Tests

West Pokot residents hold a banner during the World TB day celebrations.PHOTO/Aswani

By Benson Aswani,

West Pokot County residents have been asked to create time and prioritize taking a TB test at the Kapenguria County Referral Hospital(KCRH) to allow them be on check with their health conditions.

The call was made on Monday 25th March 2024 at Talau,Siyoi area during the world commemoration of the World TB day which was presided over by West Pokot County Minister for Health Paul Woyakapel.

According to Woyakapel West Pokot County registered 1,617 cases of tuberculosis in the previous year 2023, while further noting that 14 percent of the number reported was children.

In addition, the county minister for health further noted that according to statistics 5 percent of the patients die yearly.

“Last year this county recorded 1,617 cases of TB, 14 percent of these cases involving children. Unfortunately, we lost 5 percent of these patients,” said Woyakapel.

Meanwhile, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Health, Pokot Central area which is Sigor region lead with a higher number of TB cases.

Likewise the statistics indicated that, North Pokot followed Pokot South in recording a high number of people suffering from TB.

At the same time, Woyakapel while making his remarks stated that the Ministry of Health is developing strategies to completely end the disease through vaccination and even prevent its spread.

“The government through the Ministry of Health is developing strategies in cooperation with various stakeholders to face this disease through the source and prevent its spread,” he said.

On the other hand, the chief officer in the county’s health ministry, Nelly Soprin, called on residents to make it a habit to go to health centers to be tested if they are suffering from TB.

Soprin said that a large number of residents have been affected due to the fact that they did not arrive at the hospital early to have their condition checked.

“The biggest problem we face in dealing with this disease is that most of the citizens do not want to come to health centers to be tested even when they see symptoms,” said Soprin.