The Cabinet Secretary for Trade Betty Maina has announced that masks due to be released to members of the public could retail for as low as Ksh5.
Addressing the country from Afya House in Nairobi on Friday, April 4, Maina assured that the masks would be affordable and would sell for between Ksh5 and Ksh20 as the highest price.
She stated that the government was banking on Kenyans to be innovative as soon as the production starts and thereby ensure that there is a surplus of such masks across the country.
"I am sure people will be able to be very innovative about it and I'm certain that some prices will come to as low as Ksh5," she announced.
The CS further informed members of the public that the country would have a million masks ready and in the distribution channels by the end of the day [Friday].
"As we announced on Sunday, the Kenyan textile industry has risen to the task and is currently able to produce as many masks as required, together with personal protective gear that doctors require," she stated.
She further told Kenyans to ensure that the masks they purchase have three layers, including a filter, an outer layer and an inner layer, to ensure that they stay safe from the pandemic.
She cautioned against the simple dust mask made from woven cloth, which she clarified is effective against dust simply but inept against the disease.
"We encourage Kenyans to acquire the three-ply mask. The materials we currently have in stock with our fabric manufacturers are sufficient to make sixty million masks immediately.
"We are looking to make the materials available to everyone, even tailors and other people in the villages so that we may expand our capacity as quickly as possible," she stated.
The CS further told the nation that local the manufacturers had created a cheaper and up-to-standard version of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used by the doctors on duty.
Maina also announced that there was advanced progress in the making of ventilators in the country, which have been taken to the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for vetting before being put to use.
The two leaders assured that all the equipment released by the nation for the fight against COVID-19 were sound, and that any imported equipment brought into the country would put through the same measures.
