Uhuru Summons Governors Over Low Isolation Bed Capacity

President Uhuru Kenyatta speaking at State House on May 23, 2020
President Uhuru Kenyatta speaking at State House on May 23, 2020
PSCU

President Uhuru Kenyatta has summoned governors just days after raising the alarm over unpreparedness by counties on the handling of fast-rising Covid-19 cases.

In a statement from State House, the head of state is scheduled to meet all governors on Wednesday, June 10, to discuss the issue.

The meeting is expected to center around interventions that must be put in place to ensure counties are well prepared to tackle the surging number of infections.

"President Uhuru Kenyatta will today at State House, Nairobi convene the 3rd Session of the National County Governments Coordinating Summit to discuss the state of the country's preparedness in combating Covid-19," read the statement

Equipment and beds at the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital.
Equipment and beds at the Kenyatta University Referral Hospital.
File

During his Saturday, June 6 address, Uhuru disclosed that all the counties had not met the requisite 300 hospital bed capacity noting that all of them fell short by a huge margin.

He went ahead to pinpoint Siaya County for recording the lowest figure of only 10 beds, nine of which were already occupied despite the county recording increasing Covid-19 cases.

"Siaya County has a ten-bed isolation facility and they have already admitted nine Covid-19 patients from only one incident. 

"Similarly, Busia County has a thirty-four (34) bed isolation facility. And by two days ago, it was full," he disclosed.

Since the address, some counties such as Kakamega and Nakuru have gotten into high gear in preparation to improve hospitals' capacity in tackling the pandemic.

Kakamega County Communications Director Peter Watsiaya told Kenyans.co.ke that Governor Wycliffe Oparanya was determined to dedicate the fourth floor, of the Ksh6 billion Kakamega County Referral Hospital, which is almost complete to a Covid-19 isolation center and ICU ward.

“We are committed to ensuring the floor is completed quickly to serve as Covid-19 isolation and ICU ward. We will have 100 beds for isolation wards and 10 beds for ICU. This will complement the wards at the County General Hospital, Mumias Level 4 Hospital and in Likuyani Sub County Hospital,” stated the governor.

He said the County Government is in the process of procuring necessary equipment for the facility to ensure it complies with the set standards to handle Covid-19.

“We will borrow Ksh. 2 billion to make sure that phase two and three are completed in the next two years so that when my term expires the hospital will be complete and fully operational,” he added noting that a Doctor's Plaza was also in the works expected to hire 3,000 healthcare workers and 2,000 subordinate staff.

The Nakuru Level 5 Hospital outpatient wing is also expected to be dedicated to the fight against Covid-19 with 500 beds expected to be installed in two months' time.

The Hospital has 30 beds, 40 ventilators and an additional 20 ICU beds with Governor Lee Kinyanjui targeting to install over 1,000 beds.

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