IN SUMMARY:
Students of Starehe Girls Centre have been sent home over a strange illness that has affected over 50 girls.
The 50+ students affected have been bedridden and quarantined.
The sick girls have coughs, sneezing and low fever.
Starehe Girls Centre has hit the headlines following an outbreak of a strange disease whose cause is yet to be established.
Over 50 girls have been affected so far.
Parents of the affected girls have been called to pick their students from the school.
The school administration has made a statement saying that the doctors from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Response Department have already collected samples which are currently being examined by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) to establish the cause of the illness.
The Centre for Disease Control is also conducting a parallel analysis of the collected samples.
The school director Sr Jane Soita has also said that the condition is manageable; hence parents and the general public should not fear.
She further added that the test results were expected by the end of today.
Sister Jane also confirmed that the parents and guardians of the sick girls have been notified about the condition of their daughters.
THREE DAYS BREAK
The school received a letter dated 2nd October 2019 recommending that the students should break for at least three days.
The break is aimed at providing ample time for the affected students to receive more individualized attention and emotional support aimed at reconnecting them to their families.
It will also wane the fear that has engulfed the rest of the student fraternity before they can resume their normal studies.
FOUL PLAY
Some critics have consequently questioned the rationale behind the decision to release the sick girls into the society before establishing the exact cause of the illness.
They have termed this as a big joke and lack of commitment on the government’s part.
The girls pose great danger to society and their families.
It could have been safe if the government quarantined all the students from Starehe for a little longer while waiting for the results.
Parents, on the other hand, feel that they are being offered a raw deal since the school administration took time before informing them.
They feel that the school is now trying to shift the burden to them after their futile attempts to arrest the situation.
The school administration should have informed them in time.
The mega question is “How safe are the girls’ family members?”
