The Ministry of Health has warned of possible outbreaks of waterborne diseases and other infections in schools following the recent floods experienced in most parts of the country.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry through Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni Muriuki directed school managements and health departments to take safety measures to ensure learners are protected.

PS Muthoni said the recent floods that saw the destruction of sanitation infrastructures in most schools could lead to contamination of water bodies near institutions or contamination of water storage facilities through sewages and submerged toilets.

She therefore advised school management to be on the lookout for diseases such as typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, yellow fever, chikungunya, and dengue fever among others.

“Floods result in the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructures. This has a negative impact on schools as a result of coming into contact with contaminated water that increases the prevalence of water-related diseases and these leads sometimes to outbreaks of infectious diseases within school communities,” stated the PS.

“Since floods can potentially increase the transmission of water-borne and vector-borne diseases, such as typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, yellow fever, chikungunya, and dengue fever among others, its important that school management know the possible risk factors within their school settings and appropriate remedial measures.”

Muthoni added: “Water sources must be protected and kept safe and accessible to all students and teachers. The most common risks associated with flooding is the contamination of drinking-water facilities and stagnant water, which can be a breeding site for mosquitoes.”

In order to ensure the safety of pupils in schools, the Principal Secretary went on to issue directives to management to ensure; 

1. All schools have an evacuation route and warning signals, identifying areas prone to floods or landslides within their school or nearby areas. 
2. All water used for drinking, cooking, bathing, brushing teeth, washing utensils and uncooked is safe and treated with chlorine or boiled. 
3. Promote good hygiene practices and safe food preparation techniques. Students must always wash their hands with soap no swimming in flood water.
4. Students should not be allowed to walk through flooded areas and standing water. 
5. Pupils are not to eat food contaminated with flood water.
6. All pupils in mosquito-prone areas are to wear trousers and long-sleeved shirts and cover beds with mosquito nets.
7.  All toilets/ bathrooms are in a good state. Toilets affected by floods should be closed with the sign closed written on the door. 
8. School management must cut overgrown grass in the school compound and surrounding to minimize mosquitoes, rodents and snakes breeding or hiding. 
9. Students should be protected against advanced weather by ensuring all windows and doors are working and can be closed and opened. 
10. The school administration must ensure food is well stored and kept away from moisture and rodents.
11. All cooks must be medically examined and vaccinated appropriately. 
12. The school administration should be on high alert for any abnormal disease/outbreak within the school community. In case of any disease, the nearest catchment facility should be notified. 

At the same time, the Public Health Department at both levels of government has been urged to support the school administration and boards in ensuring the safety of the pupils by regularly carrying out sanitary school inspections, ascertaining the sanitation situation of schools are acceptable and taking remedial measures where appropriate.

The department should also carry out regular water quality testing for both free chlorine residue and E. coli and assist in disinfecting and should also respond promptly to any notification from schools about health conditions among school communities. 

The PS additionally asked the heath personnel to ensure food is hygienically prepared, and served and hand washing with soap is always practised, adding that there should be no overcrowding in dormitories.