Shortage of kits hampers mass testing in Busia

Inadequate testing kits have hampered the planned mass testing that was to determine the spread of community infection in Busia even as the number of infected truck drivers continues to rise.

As at Friday, the county had recorded 452 cases, majority of them being truckers. The Government launched mass testing of the drivers in March.

Two weeks ago, angry youth residing near the Busia airstrip disrupted the exercise that was to take place in the area claiming that people had been ferried into the area for testing. 

The Department of Public Health in the county headed by Joseph Oprong was forced to look for an alternative testing venue. Only 151 people were tested at the Busia Polytechnic ground and as of yesterday, less than 500 people had undergone the tests.

Dr Oprong told The Standard yesterday that they will conduct tests in target areas only.

“Due to limited kits, we have opted to do selective testing especially in high risk areas,” said Oprong.

Busia was flagged from onset as one of the counties that were bound to record high positive cases due to being at the border of Kenya and Uganda.

Meanwhile, Alupe Isolation Centre is now able to attend to Covid-19 patients that are in critical condition after it was installed with an oxygen manifold system to handle cases that require oxygen support. The equipment was donated by Emergency Medicine Kenya Foundation.