This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Government's Covid-19 Response Raises Concerns ¶
As the world grapples with the Covid-19 pandemic, Kenya's government has been under scrutiny for its response to the crisis. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe's briefings have provided a sense of reassurance, but recent first-hand observations by The Standard on Sunday have raised concerns about the government's ability to handle the pandemic.
With the exception of face masks, life in Nairobi has returned to normal, with pedestrian traffic back to pre-Covid-19 levels. However, a family's tragic experience reveals the harsh reality of the situation.
On June 8, 2020, a family in Nairobi lost their mother to Covid-19, despite her being in good health. The family's daughter, Jane Doe, shared her mother's story with The Standard on Sunday, highlighting the government's shortcomings in dealing with the pandemic.
According to Jane, her mother was diagnosed with pneumonia and advised to test for Covid-19 as a precaution. However, the family faced a shortage of reagents and long queues at government-designated testing facilities. They eventually paid Sh8,000 for a private test, which revealed that her mother had tested positive.
The family was asked to self-quarantine, but they received little support from the government. No official visited their home to check on their well-being, and they were left to fend for themselves. The doctor assigned to her case advised that the best option was for her mother to stay home and nurse her pneumonia, as the isolation facilities were overwhelmed.
Tragically, Jane's mother collapsed and died the next day, despite the family's best efforts to save her. The government-designated doctor who had been dealing with the case hung up when he heard the news and never contacted the family again.
The family's experience highlights the government's lack of preparedness to deal with the pandemic. The shortage of reagents, overwhelmed isolation facilities, and lack of support for those affected are all major concerns that need to be addressed.
As the pandemic continues to spread, it is essential that the government takes immediate action to address these shortcomings and provide support to those affected.
