County's readiness to handle Covid-19 cases

As counties take up the mantle in reducing coronavirus infection numbers, a new tug-of-war ensues between the county governments and healthcare workers.   While county chiefs insist they are ready, the healthcare workers seem to be reading from a different script.   Case in point is Laikipia, where the healthcare workers want talks with the county government to improve the state of medical services hastened.   The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists board says the county has little capacity to handle Covid-19.   It cited lack of enough medics, a day after the Council of Governors said 26 counties are ready to handle coronavirus cases.   Speaking in Laikipia on Friday, South Rift KMPDU secretary Davji Atella said the healthcare workers' issue in Laikipia has lasted a year, hurting the county's preparedness in dealing with Covid-19.   He said since then, when about 40 medics' names were deleted from the county payroll, Laikipia has not had specialist doctors.   According to Atella, the county does not have enough medics to handle the patients.   The Laikipia government website shows that 21 patients are in self quarantine and 22 quarantined in health facilities.   Eighty-two have since been discharged since the first case was reported in the county.   Atella urged the county to relate the number of beds and isolation centres to the number of healthcare workers in the county to determine its preparedness to handle corona cases.   Some of the measures Laikipia has put in place to reduce the spread of Covid-19 include refurbishment of the Nanyuki showground as a medical facility.   In April, small and medium enterprises nurtured under the Laikipia Innovation and Enterprise Programme reduced the shortfall of protective gear for the frontline teams fighting the pandemic.   The first 1,000 body suits for medical staff who come in close contact with infected people and 7,000 face masks for distribution to local boda bodas, community health volunteers and enforcement officers were expected to be produced.   The county government of Laikipia also capitalised on the existing partnership with Dedan Kimathi University of Technology to produce personal protective equipment in large quantities.   Adding that counties are ready to handle Covid-19 cases, Director of Public Health Francis Kuria said there 12,513 isolation beds across the country and 400 icu beds.   On June 20, Laikipia Health executive Lenai Kamario said the county government has bought enough body bags to take care of a rise in deaths, adding that the burial grounds are adequate.

“All that has been catered for in the Laikipia Covid-19 Contingency Plan. There is no shortage of space. Body bags are also available," Dr Lenai said.