Disaster strikes in many forms and most people identify it with earthquakes and heavy floods - a reality far from most African countries.
In Kenya however, biological hazards manifested in communicable and non communicable diseases like tuberculosis, hypertension and diabetes have been cited among the major disasters affecting Kenyans due to high populations living in the urban areas.
This has come as an outcome from the World Disasters Report in relating to developing countries and centering on Kenya in particular with a case study of Kibera slum in a press conference at KICC to present the report.
The report warns that 2.57 billion urban dwellers living in low and middle income nations (412 million Africans) are vulnerable to the high risks fueled by rapid urbanization, poor local governance, population growth, poor health services and the rising tide of urban violence.
Urban risk as being the main theme of the 2010 report, as explained by the Under Secretary General for International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies, Matthias Schmale, is characterized by prevalence of communicable diseases, fire hazards, traffic accidents urban violence and poor infrastructure here in Kenya and most under developed countries.
Looking closely at Kibera slum, he said that all the above affect the people within. “People live in the rural new areas precariously and their crises are easily neglected,” he said
According to Deputy Secretary General in charge of disaster preparedness, Kenya Red Cross Society, Dr James Kisia, the urban realities of Africa need special consideration as most people are living the rural areas and swarming the urban centers hence increasing population. He said also that inequalities as long as they exist, nothing much can be done.
“50 per cent of the population are living on less than 1 per cent of land in urban centers,” he said.
Bearing in mind that the census figures of Kenya increased by 10million people in the past 10 years, Kenyan urban centers face over population because people live the rural areas to come scramble for the little space that is in the towns.
Mr Kisia said that the market forces of economic growth are influencing peoples’ priorities and in the process neglecting the social growth.
Naming Kenya as being among the top 10 countries to suffer from traffic accident mortality, Mr Kisia said that a legal frame work has got to be enforced and authorities must see to its imposition as preventing this hazard is easy – by simply telling people to wear seat belts , helmets among other road safety precautions.
Way forward
Good governance is the most effective way in combating these disasters in urban areas.
“We will flourish or perish depending on the ability to find common ground,” Mr Kisia said when giving a solution of continuous engagement of the local people with the policy makers whom he cautioned to to be deeply involved in community affairs right from the grass roots.
Governments also need to adapt their institutions to urbanization, provide proper drainage, proper access when fire breaks out, legal environment property wise, upgrade the slums and tackle the issue of health.
In Kenya only 6 per cent is invested in health yet the communicable diseases according to the report remain the main cause ill health and premature death and in Kenya’s urban slums, as much as people have to contend with infectious diseases which are killing infants at a rate (IMR) of 81 per 1000 live births, the non communicable diseases are also increasing with 17 percent of people suffering from diabetes and hypertension.
In a message from the Deputy Director for International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, Helena Molin Valdés, disaster stricken areas should follow the recommendations in the report to the last detail in order to curb most if not all these disasters.
The World Disasters Report is published annually. It has been written since 1993, It brings together the latest trends, facts and analysis of contemporary crises – whether 'natural' or man-made, quick-onset or chronic.
It is the first time the report is being presented outside of Geneva and in an African country, Kenya.
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