An open letter to Kilifi County Deputy governor Hon. Gideon Saburi

Good morning Mheshimiwa,

I am writing this letter somewhere in Machakos County. I believe I have not yet contracted the COVID-19 disease but one can never be sure. I have not even been tested. I don't show any symptoms yet. But I digress.

Yesterday, April 2nd, Health cabinet secretary Mutahi Kagwe, during his press briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic, announced that you recovered fully from the COVID-19 disease.

Good news. A day before that, the CS also announced two other patients, Brenda and Brian, who had recovered from the disease. I could also write to them regarding their recovery process but I have chosen you because of the following reasons; the elderly are more susceptible to this disease and you are, going by your age, closer to the elderly, if you are not one already. 

Secondly, you are a leader. A deputy governor is not a 'small person' in Kenya. You are a family man and most probably you are a mentor/ role model to many. Lastly, unlike Brenda and Brian cases, your recovery has not been shrouded in doubt and confusion. 

Just a recap, you arrived in Kenya on March 7 from Germany. You were to self-quarantine for 14 days according to the government directive but you did not.

You went ahead to interact with Kilifi County officials and even attended a funeral, an act which put many at risk but I will not beat a home about it because you have already apologized for that. I read your apology. 

I leave it to the people to forgive you. As for not obeying the government directive, the Health CS said it clearly that the law will catch up with you so I leave it for the court people to do their job.

I am more interested in your recovery process. On March 22, the Health CS announced that you tested positive for COVID-19. You had already been admitted to a hospital in Mombasa.

On April 2, you recovered fully, having tested negative for the COVID-19.

The health CS said you were tested more than once, and at intervals, and all were negative, giving you a clean bill of health.

From March 22 to April 2 is about 10 days. Please, for the sake of the people of Kenya, Africa and the whole World, and especially to those who are in your age bracket, tell us the following;

Right from the moment your test results came out positive, what exactly did the health care workers who attended to you do? Were you given any drugs? Any injection? If yes, which drugs?

Which foods were you eating, amounts of servings and at what intervals? I hear fruits are highly recommended, but which fruits exactly? And how many of them in a day?

I also hear hot liquids are also highly recommended. Please tell us in very simple words, how many glasses of hot water were you taking in a day? Were you also taking other hot beverages? Which ones exactly? Tea? Coffee? 

In your isolation ward, what else did you do which fastened your recovery process? Did you do some exercises? 

My parents fall in your age group and if they happen to contract this disease (God forbid), remember I will tell them to do, step by step, all that you will narrate here. 

I wish you well.