The currently witnessed disease outbreaks in North Eastern region are a wakeup call for Kibera residents.
Considering the environmental conditions in the slum area, local residents are urged to observe and maintain good hygiene to curb disease outbreaks.
Reports of the Cholera and Chikungunya outbreaks in Mandera means that the slum area in itself is no longer safe.
The ever ballooning slum population causes a strain on the existing facilities and so caution should be observed to avoid per-disposing the residential area to epidemics.
The Nairobi City council should strive to have all the drainage systems in the slum area rehabilitated to avoid raw sewage spilling to nearby houses. Plastic paper-bags ought to be collected and disposed off correctly to prevent breeding places for mosquitoes that have been cited as carriers of Chikungunya virus.
Residents should use clean water in their households to curb water borne diseases. The fact that Kibera has no access to clean drinking water is no excuse. Households should strive to boil water before drinking and even thoroughly wash foodstuffs like fruits that are eaten raw.
Public health experts should be on the lookout for any strange incident in the area, so that suspicious symptoms and signs get early detection with a proportionate attention.