When giving the daily Covid-19 update on Sunday, May 3, Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr. Rashid Aman lamented over a low turnout of people going for testing in the government’s efforts to ensure targeted testing is done in high-risk areas.
The areas in question were Kawangware, Kibra and Eastleigh in Nairobi, and he highlighted that most of the cases reported emanated from the estates.
“In the last two days, the testing teams have tested 803 against a target of 2,000 in Kawangware, 494 in Eastleigh against a target of 3,000,” he noted while appealing to Kenyans, especially those in the hotspot to willingly come forward to be tested.
“The Ministry of Health has acquired the testing capacity to undertake targeted testing, but the willingness to be tested is low,’ he emphasized.
In its part of civic education, the Ministry of Health on Friday, May 8, shared the experience of a Kawangware resident, Judy Emeza who took part in the ongoing mass testing exercise.
In a video shared on the ministry's social media accounts to encourage people to go get tested and minimize the risk of transmission.
Emeza explained that since cases were reported in Kawangware, it was important to get tested because the centre was close to their home.
"Tunakuja hapa tunapewa mafunzo ya kujikinga. Hii ugonjwa inaweza ambukiza kila mtu, hata naweza kuwa hapa niko nayo na nisijue. (We came here and were given measures to take to protect ourselves because it can affect anybody. I might be infected and I have no idea)" she stated.
She added that after testing she was eagerly waiting for her results that would put her at peace.
"Nikisikia jina yangu imetangazwa nimeambukizwa nitafuata maagizo ya daktari (Now I'm waiting for the results. If I hear my name among those infected, I shall follow the instructions from the doctors on what I should do)" she conveyed.
Here is the video:
The confirmed Covid-19 cases rose to 607 after 25 more people tested positive for the virus out of the 1075 samples tested, CAS Aman announced on Thursday, May 7.
