Prevention of waterborne diseases a collective effort
Cholera is also closely associated with flooding as contaminated water and poor sanitation can easily result in outbreaks.
What you need to know:
- The overflow of rivers and waterways during heavy rain creates a breeding ground for disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and other insects.
- Flooding contaminates water sources with pathogens from sewage and waste, exposing people to diseases like cholera, typhoid and dysentery.
The rains have begun as the country prepares for the forecast El Nino — the turnaround by the Met notwithstanding. Rains herald good news to some as they prepare their farms for planting.
Yet for others, every drop is a grim reminder of the potential devastation and human suffering accompanying heavy rains and flooding.
While these natural disasters wreak havoc in various ways, a link between flooding and waterborne diseases cannot be ignored. The overflow of rivers and waterways during heavy rain creates a breeding ground for disease-carrying vectors such as mosquitoes and other insects.
Besides these spreading diseases like malaria, dengue fever and Zika, flooding contaminates water sources with pathogens from sewage and waste, exposing people to diseases like cholera, typhoid and dysentery.
While malaria, for instance, is not directly transmitted through water, the stagnant water left behind by floods provides a fertile breeding ground for mosquitoes, increasing malaria cases.
Contaminated water
Malaria is responsible for 13-15 per cent of outpatient consultations, shows the 2020 Kenya Malaria Indicator Survey report, with 13 million people living in high-endemic areas and 19 million in highland epidemic-prone and seasonal transmission areas.
Children are most vulnerable to diseases since their immune systems are weaker and defences less developed. Malaria causes severe anaemia and fever and can be fatal. Prevalence increases significantly during the rains, making preventative measures such as using treated bed nets and draining stagnant water critical.
Cholera is also closely associated with flooding as contaminated water and poor sanitation can easily result in outbreaks. Children, particularly in rural areas with limited access to clean water and sanitation, are at high risk of contracting this lethal disease. Handwashing, drinking clean water and practising proper hygiene, particularly during the rains, can reduce the risk of cholera.
Diarrhoeal diseases like cholera can cause severe dehydration. Contaminated water, particularly in areas where pit latrines are used, can easily become a source of infection.
One of the most important factors to consider in mitigating the risks of flooding is education. Being equipped with knowledge and information about waterborne diseases and their prevention can protect you.
Basic interventions
Government, non-state actors, businesses and other organisations can ensure marginalised communities have access to safe drinking water. Promoting proper sanitation is critical. Several diseases are exacerbated by being in close proximity to human faeces, highlighting the importance of clean and functional toilets and safe sanitation for all.
Among other basic interventions, people must sleep under mosquito nets when flooding creates pools of standing water to combat mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and Rift Valley Fever.
Seeking medical attention immediately one exhibits symptoms of waterborne diseases — such as stomach pain, diarrhoea or vomiting — is critical to preventing progression of illnesses and halting their spread.
The link between flooding and waterborne diseases is undeniable. Similarly, the fight against waterborne diseases during the rainy season must be collaborative. Government agencies, NGOs and communities must work together to make the environment safer for everyone.
Preventive measures, education and improved infrastructure are critical to reducing the impact of flooding and waterborne diseases. We all have a part to play in this.
Dr Ibrahim is a paediatrician at Gertrude’s Children's Hospital. [email protected]
