WEST POKOT – County Executive Committee Member for Health and Sanitation Claire Parklea has confirmed that West Pokot is stepping up its defenses against Ebola Virus Disease to safeguard residents living along the porous Kenya-Uganda border. Pointing out that the region faces a high risk due to constant cross-border movement and trade, Parklea stressed that local health teams cannot lower their guard, even though the county has recorded zero confirmed cases of the virus so far.
To strengthen early detection and response, the West Pokot County Department of Health teamed up with the Core Group Partners Project, through the International Rescue Committee, to deliver an intensive five-day training workshop. The program brought together 30 frontline healthcare staff including nurses, doctors, public health officers, lab specialists, and community health assistants from Kacheliba and Pokot North sub-counties. Participants gained practical skills in infection prevention, safe case management, rapid isolation, disease tracking, and clear community communication.
Local officials noted that protecting healthcare workers themselves was a key focus of the training. Because Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected body fluids, frontline staff face extreme risks when caring for sick patients. Equipping these workers with proper safety protocols ensures they can handle any high-risk scenario confidently without putting their own lives or the local health system in danger.
County Disease Surveillance Coordinator Wilson Tarus reassured the public that surveillance teams remain on high alert 24/7. While past reports of suspected cases in northern Kacheliba were quickly investigated and cleared negative after lab tests at KEMRI, Tarus emphasized that active monitoring must continue uninterrupted.
To complement these efforts, County Executive Committee Member Claire Parklea added that the county will launch regular radio broadcasts and town hall meetings to answer public questions, stop false rumors, and keep border communities safe without causing unnecessary panic.
