Doctors who were attending a conference at Weston Hotel on Thursday have confirmed that they are suffering from Cholera and not food poisoning as claimed by Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) Cleopa Mailu.
The doctors, who were disgusted by the alleged cover-up by the CS, took to social media to share their laboratory results confirming that they were diagnosed with Cholera.
A local newspaper verified the results of one of the doctors who are currently admitted at Nairobi Hospital suffering from cholera.
The doctor, who did not wish to be named, urged the Weston Hotel to come clean on the issue and expressed her disappointment at the government for allegedly covering up cases of the disease.
Claims of the cholera scare first surfaced on Thursday with Nairobi County Health Executive Bernard Muia stating that three cases had been reported and warning that the number could rise.
However, the Health CS contradicted this on Friday, claiming that it was food poisoning and not Cholera.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has also come out strongly to condemn the government for attempting to cover up the disease outbreak at the hotel.
“Unethical leaders are those that keep quiet or shut the systems when there is a cholera outbreak, especially at a time when any spread would mean several thousands of deaths given nurses have been on strike for 3 weeks and counting,” said KMPDU secretary general Ouma Oluga.
He was supported by Thuranira Kaugiria, KMPDU Nairobi Branch secretary general, who stated: "Iko cholera (There is cholera). Period.”
The sick doctors, who are currently admitted at Nairobi Hospital and Aga Khan, revealed to a local daily that they had planned a press conference to address the Cholera scare. They blamed the government for attempting to silence them after they were told that it is impossible to hold the press conference.
Weston Hotel featured prominently in the Langata Road Primary School land grabbing scandal with a section of the public linking it to Deputy President William Ruto.
During a media interview shortly after the scandal, the DP confirmed that he was a shareholder at the hotel.
