Neglected disease that could derail Kenya’s growth plans

Tourists at the Serengeti National Park. Tsetse flies have found a safe haven in parks posing a risk to tourists. FILE  

By SARAH OOKO

Infections likely to derail tourism and agricultural output as government focuses on ‘Big Three’ epidemics - malaria, HIV/Aids and tuberculosis.

In 1920, a terrible epidemic hit Kenya and other East African countries, claiming thousands of lives.
Albeit late, medical experts screened those at risk and controlled the situation.

Fifty years later — when the disease seemed to have disappeared and experts let down their guard — the epidemic struck again and caused immense suffering to those affected.

This is the story of the human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) commonly known as the sleeping sickness. Parasites that cause the disease are mainly transmitted through the bite of infected tsetse flies, found only in sub-Saharan Africa.

“But sometimes, an infected pregnant woman may pass the disease to her unborn child through the placenta,” says Pere Simarro, a medical officer in charge of the sleeping sickness control programme at the World Health Organisation (WHO).

According to the WHO, sleeping sickness threatens millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa, and this includes Kenyan rural communities living in endemic areas. Hot spots of the disease are concentrated in the country’s western region — mainly Teso, Busia and Lambwe Valley.

Imported infections

Dr Grace Murilla, the deputy director of the Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute (KETRI) notes that sleeping sickness cases in the country have been declining over the last 10 years.

“But we cannot afford to relax. The moment we stop monitoring and controlling it, the cases will go up again,” she says.

Dr Murilla states that due to the severe nature of the diseases, even a single infection is deemed catastrophic because it can easily kill infected people.

Health experts also warn that since the incidence of sleeping sickness is still high in neighbouring East African countries, Kenya needs to be alert to curb imported infections from bordering nations such as Uganda, Tanzania and South Sudan.

If ignored, the impact of the disease to Kenya’s economic growth would be catastrophic. Dr Simarro notes that it would impede rural development in endemic areas.

“Since sleeping sickness is common among adults, it decreases their capacity to farm and raise income to take care of their families. So they remain poor,” he explains.

An escalation of sleeping sickness infections would also rob Kenya of skilled agricultural labour force, mainly in rural areas, undermining food security and exports.

Dr Simarro says that carriers of the sleeping sickness parasite are mainly domestic animals such as cattle and ducks. However, he adds, wild animals such as lions and antelopes also harbour the parasite.