Counties

15 county hospitals to get Covid kits from Russia, UNDP

corona

A healthcare worker in personal protective equipment (PPE). FILE PHOTO | NMG

Kisumu, Migori, and Busia counties have got a boost in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 in the wake of the sixth wave of the pandemic.

A partnership between the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Russian Embassy in Kenya will see 15 hospitals in these counties get Sh120 million worth of personal protective equipment.

UNDP Team Lead environment and resilient unit Evelyn Koech said the partnership is meant to support border counties as they bear the heaviest burden of Covid-19 due to porous borders.

“The sixth wave of covid-19 infections is signified with the number of cases in the county increasing by 92 percent in the past month, compared with the previous four weeks. This presents a great opportunity to hand over the procured medical commodities to fight the pandemic,” said Ms Koech.

The initiative comes as health experts in the lake region have raised concern over the low testing for Covid-19 infection in the counties.

The Lake Region Economic Bloc Covid-19 Committee advisory chairman Prof Khama Rogo noted that apart from the residents letting down the Covid-19 measures, the county health officials are not testing for viruses as they should.

"When the situation of the Covid-19 cases improved in the country, the health department let down the guards and the measures," said Prof Rogo.

"Most of the county government have either dismantled the systems to curb the spread of Covid-19 infections or they lack the testing kits."

The plan will also focus on medical waste management.

Embassy of Russia representative Vladimir Lenev said if the medical waste is not handled well it could lead to secondary Covid-19 infections.

'It is important that the management of medical waste is done in a proper manner that reduces exposure of communities,' said Mr Leven.

Ministry of Health representative Gamaliel Omondi said that the demand for quality-assured PPEs is still very high among the front-line health care and other essential workers.

“The proper use of quality-assured PPEs is crucial to prevent exposure to infectious diseases such as Covid-19. The functions of PPE’s are threefold namely protecting health workers, ensuring essential health care services continue and enhancement of preparedness and response.” Mr Omondi said.

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