Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI4477
2006-10-17 04:44:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:
POLIO SURFACES IN KENYA REFUGEE CAMP
how-toVZCZCXRO1013 OO RUEHROV DE RUEHNR #4477 2900444 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 170444Z OCT 06 FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4970 INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//OSD// RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC RHMFISS/CJTF HOA //POLAD// RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//POLAD// RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//POLAD// RUFTNAB/COMUSNAVCENT //N2// RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA 3151
C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 004477
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, INR, PRM
STATE PASS AID
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2026
TAGS: PREF PGOV EAID PREL MOPS ASEC KPAO SO KE
SUBJECT: POLIO SURFACES IN KENYA REFUGEE CAMP
C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 004477
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, INR, PRM
STATE PASS AID
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2026
TAGS: PREF PGOV EAID PREL MOPS ASEC KPAO SO KE
SUBJECT: POLIO SURFACES IN KENYA REFUGEE CAMP
1. (C) On October 16, Refcoord Addis learned from UNHCR and other
sources that a case of polio had been discovered at Dadaab refugee
camp. The case, the first in Kenya in twenty years, was originally
identified on September 23 by GTZ doctors at the camp. GTZ doctors
turned the information over to the Kenyan Medical Research Institute
(KEMRI) for confirmation. KEMRI, in turn, forwarded the test results
over to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nairobi, which later
passed the information to WHO-Geneva. This convoluted screening and
confirmation process meant the results only got back to UN offices in
Nairobi on Friday, October 13. A meeting was held the following day
with UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO and the Ministry of Health to relay the
information and discuss a coordinated response. According to UNHCR,
a press release will be issued the afternoon of October 16 by the MOH
and UNICEF, which will acknowledge the case but not provide
information about the location or the nationality of the infected
person.
2. (C) The infected person appears to be a young Somali girl, who
remains in the hospital in Dadaab's Ifo Camp. According to the GTZ
medical director, the child had been with a family of new arrivals
that had entered the camp more than a month earlier. UNHCR's Acting
Residential Representative Eddie Gedalof has ordered a further review
of the girl's medical records as well as the entire family's
registration records for the camp. UNHCR will also intensively
interview the family and surrounding neighbors to determine if the
registration information is accurate. They will also determine
whether the family had returned to Somalia recently or had any
visitors from Somalia, and whether the family had switched
registration cards with anyone or in some other way had falsely
portrayed themselves as recent arrivals. A combined UN-MOH team will
be flying to Dadaab on October 17 to further investigate the issue.
In the meantime, no journalists will be allowed into the hospital to
see or photograph the girl.
3. (C) Comment: This polio case comes at a very difficult time as the
GOK (and local media) are already grumbling about the steady stream
of new arrivals fleeing Somalia. There have been reports of Somalis
being refused entry and harassed by local police authorities - though
this appears to be a local issue and not a government policy. The
Ministry of Security has also threatened to move all new arrivals
across the country to Kakuma for security reasons. The fact that a
Somali refugee is reportedly responsible for the first case of polio
in Kenya in twenty years will only add to GOK reticence to assist
Somali refugees. In addition, based on this case, the GOK could
threaten to prevent entry of asylum seekers from Somalia. End
comment
RANNEBERGER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR AF, INR, PRM
STATE PASS AID
LONDON, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2026
TAGS: PREF PGOV EAID PREL MOPS ASEC KPAO SO KE
SUBJECT: POLIO SURFACES IN KENYA REFUGEE CAMP
1. (C) On October 16, Refcoord Addis learned from UNHCR and other
sources that a case of polio had been discovered at Dadaab refugee
camp. The case, the first in Kenya in twenty years, was originally
identified on September 23 by GTZ doctors at the camp. GTZ doctors
turned the information over to the Kenyan Medical Research Institute
(KEMRI) for confirmation. KEMRI, in turn, forwarded the test results
over to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Nairobi, which later
passed the information to WHO-Geneva. This convoluted screening and
confirmation process meant the results only got back to UN offices in
Nairobi on Friday, October 13. A meeting was held the following day
with UNHCR, UNICEF, WHO and the Ministry of Health to relay the
information and discuss a coordinated response. According to UNHCR,
a press release will be issued the afternoon of October 16 by the MOH
and UNICEF, which will acknowledge the case but not provide
information about the location or the nationality of the infected
person.
2. (C) The infected person appears to be a young Somali girl, who
remains in the hospital in Dadaab's Ifo Camp. According to the GTZ
medical director, the child had been with a family of new arrivals
that had entered the camp more than a month earlier. UNHCR's Acting
Residential Representative Eddie Gedalof has ordered a further review
of the girl's medical records as well as the entire family's
registration records for the camp. UNHCR will also intensively
interview the family and surrounding neighbors to determine if the
registration information is accurate. They will also determine
whether the family had returned to Somalia recently or had any
visitors from Somalia, and whether the family had switched
registration cards with anyone or in some other way had falsely
portrayed themselves as recent arrivals. A combined UN-MOH team will
be flying to Dadaab on October 17 to further investigate the issue.
In the meantime, no journalists will be allowed into the hospital to
see or photograph the girl.
3. (C) Comment: This polio case comes at a very difficult time as the
GOK (and local media) are already grumbling about the steady stream
of new arrivals fleeing Somalia. There have been reports of Somalis
being refused entry and harassed by local police authorities - though
this appears to be a local issue and not a government policy. The
Ministry of Security has also threatened to move all new arrivals
across the country to Kakuma for security reasons. The fact that a
Somali refugee is reportedly responsible for the first case of polio
in Kenya in twenty years will only add to GOK reticence to assist
Somali refugees. In addition, based on this case, the GOK could
threaten to prevent entry of asylum seekers from Somalia. End
comment
RANNEBERGER