[PHOTO/standardmedia.co.ke]
A court in Kericho has ordered immediate detention of a 29-year-old man over failure to take his medication.
Kericho Chief Magistrate Samuel Mokua slapped Charles Abuga with a 20-month detention at Kericho County Referral Hospital after he refused to take his TB medicine.
After the period, the magistrate ruled, Mr Abuga will have to undergo a medical test before the court allows him his freedom again.
"Upon considering the supporting affidavit and the requirement of the Public Health Act Cap 242 Laws of Kenya, the court orders that the accused be detained for a period of 20 months," he said.
According to a sworn affidavit by Kericho County Health Officer George Goldie Kauma, Abuga was on February 8, 2016 diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis but later defaulted treatment in September the same year.
"Though he reappeared at the hospital on March 17 this year and the Genexpert test done on him turned negative and the continuation of treatment ensured, the accused defaulted for the second time on April 4 as per the registration No. 117/223/01/2017," said Kauma.
He added that Abuga's last appearance at the facility was on July 17 where a subsequent Genexpert test conducted on him showed positive response for the multi-drug resistance (MDR) strain of TB.
"That in compliance with the Public Health Act Chapter 242 Section 27 as read with section 28 (a) (b) (c) and 34 do hereby state that the said patient has wilfully defaulted on treatment which is offered for free through the taxpayer by the Government and now is at critical point of multi-drug Resistance for Rifampicin (most important drug for first line TB treatment) which is a risk to the public," Kauma said as quoted by the Standard.