By Kabaraji Richard
Five candidates in Trans Nzoia County on Monday morning sat for their KCSE examination at a local health facility. This is after they were admitted over the weekend for various ailments.
Of the five, two boys and a girl have been admitted for acute malaria, while the fourth, a 16-year-old girl from Masinde Muliro Memorial Secondary School was admitted for delivery.
The fifth candidate has been hospitalized at the Royal Gardens Hospital in Kitale Town for peptic ulcers after complaining of stomach aches.
According to the hospital administrator Gloria Wakasa, most of the students were admitted at night after complaining of various illnesses.
“The girl came in at 12 midnight accompanied by her teacher and at the time of admission she was too CM dilated leading to the gynaecologist advising that she be admitted. She later gave birth to a live male infant weighing 3,300 grams. We are still observing the student before we discharge her,” Wakasa said.
The girl’s mother says that she was called by school authorities that her daughter was not feeling well. She promptly went to the school and accompanied her to the facility.
“I am happy to get my first grandson,” the mother said, adding that parents should support their girls who get pregnant while in school so as to help them secure their future.
“I am not mad at her, in fact, I am very happy for her and I will take care of the kid till she finishes her exams and wishes her success so that she has a bright future for her and her son.”
Rise in acute malaria cases
But of concern is the rise of candidates who are admitted to the facility suffering from acute malaria. There has been an upsurge in the cases since the onset of short rains across the county.
“We have seen a steady rise in the cases of students especially those sitting for the national exams that are brought in with acute malaria. This needs to be given attention to avert the cases that seem to be on an upward trajectory,” quipped the Royal Gardens Hospital administrator.
The hospital has since set up rooms and an enabling environment to see to it that the students sit for their national examination in a conducive environment.
