The government has raised alarm over the Covid-19 crisis in India and has prepared Kenyans for repatriation and other emergency services as the country witnesses one of the worst second waves.
On Friday, April 23, Ambassador Willie Bett - Kenya's High Commissioner to India - issued a notice to over 900 Kenyans stuck in the country directing them to share their locations with the Commission.
Bett asked them to provide the government with names as indicated in the passport, passport numbers, contacts (telephone number and email). They were also directed to state their full physical address, location and purpose of visit.
"You should also form Whatsapp groups and link them with the Embassy in case the need arises," Bett wrote.
India's healthcare system is buckling after a surge in Covid-19 cases. Hospitals are stretched to the limit as medics raise concerns over the lack of oxygen supplies.
On Friday, April 23, India recorded 332,730 positive cases in 24 hours, the highest the country has recorded since the pandemic broke out. 2,263 deaths were also reported.
"We do not have that many oxygen points. Whatever oxygen points are there, they're full. Patients are coming in with their own oxygen cylinders or without oxygen. We want to help them but there are not enough beds and not enough oxygen points even to supply them oxygen if it is there.
"All our telephone lines are jammed. People are continuously calling the helpline. There is a big rush outside the hospital: there are ambulances parked, patients wanting to get deboarded, but the problem is, there is no space," Dr Atul Gogia, a consultant at the Sir Ganga Ram hospital in Delhi said in an interview with the BBC.
Hospitals, pharmacies and medical centres are congested with individuals trying to seek hospital beds, life-saving drugs, oxygen and plasma for relatives and friends. The new cases were blamed on a new 'double mutant' virus variant termed a super-spreader.
India was hit by the second after it removed some restrictions it had imposed before. Over 25 million pilgrims who attended public gatherings and festivals later did not wear masks nor adhere to social distancing.
By preparing individuals for evacuation, the Kenyan government is keen on avoiding backlash from expats, families and concerned citizens like in 2020 when it delayed repatriating Kenyans stuck in China.
The Kenyans were reportedly subjected to racial discrimination with the foreigners accusing them of spreading Covid-19. They were kicked out of their houses with some reportedly arrested.
Negotiations between the two countries eased the tension and also saw the affected Kenyans return home safely.
