By Agwanda Jakorandoh

Many artisans within the Jua Kali area in Kisumu where Hope for Victoria Children (HOVIC) a United Kingdom children rescue centre is located   were caught off guard when a convoy of almost thirty vehicles snaked its way to the centre headed by Kenya’s Public Health and Sanitation Minister Beth Mugo took anti-swine flu campaign to the centre.

Mrs. Mugo in the company of Permanent Secretary Mark Bor, Nyanza Province Public Health and Sanitation Officer Dr.Jackson Kimeu Kioko and the Director of Widow and Orphans International Mr. Joshua Oron told the children within the rescue centre that the only most effective measures avoid the swine flu virus remained good hygiene practices which included; frequent washing of hands with soap, covering mouth and nose with disposable tissue, avoiding touching of eyes, nose and mouth.

HOVIC Centre Manager Miguda Raynor told the Minister the centre targets; street children, orphans, girls in the hidden sector i.e. commercial sex workers, those who work in Kiosks and domestic workers.

“Madame Minister, we handle an average of one hundred children daily that we give breakfast, lunch and supper and there are instances when they are over that number” she told Mugo.

Mr. Oron on his part said that the centre is funded by a United Kingdom based organization Widows and Orphans International which he is there representative in Kenya.

“Very few organizations can do what we are doing for these children, as you are dealing with totally different kinds of kids who are partly or totally orphaned and girls who have seen a lot in life some whom are traumatized by what they have undergone” Oron told Mugo.

Minister Mugo who had earlier visited a group of 34 British students who have since gone back to their country who two of them tested positive for swine flu assured the centre and Kenyans that her Ministry is vigilant and firmly in control.

She added that Swine Flu is a relatively ,illness and therefore  should be no cause for panic, adding that anyone needing the medication either from a government or private clinic will receive free drugs from the ministry.

In Kenya presently eighteen cases of swine flu have been reported in the country with the government urging the public to be calm as it together with other partners has already put in place measures as the government is stocked with over 50,000 doses of the medicineTAMIFLU which is used to treat the disease.

ENDS…………………………