This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
On June 23, 2020, Mandera Governor Ali Roba expressed concern over the delayed release of funds allocated to counties to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a press conference in Mandera town, Governor Roba lamented that the Ministry of Health and the National Treasury had yet to disburse Sh1.5 billion allocated to Coast General Hospital, Jaramogi Referral, Kitui Referral, and Mandera to fight coronavirus diseases.
The funds were allocated through a supplementary budget, but the governor's administration was still waiting for part of the Sh850 million given to Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, and Mandera counties to cushion locals from the effects of Covid-19 through livelihoods support programs.
Mr. Roba emphasized that the funds were necessary to assist counties in preparing for the peak season of the disease, predicted by the Ministry of Health to be August and September.
He noted that the pandemic was a significant burden to counties, which were among the first to report index cases of the virus.
However, Governor Roba expressed confidence in the measures put in place by his administration to fight the disease, citing the successful discharge of 17 patients out of 18 who had tested positive after turning negative.
The remaining patient had also tested negative but was awaiting a second validation test before being discharged.
As of the press conference, 729 people had been tested for the disease, 97,502 had been screened at various entry and exit points in the county, and 334 had been quarantined.
Some 176 people who were quarantined were contacts of the cases, while 158 were travelers from outside the county.
Mr. Roba attributed the county's success in fighting the pandemic to preparedness, mobilization of resources, planning, and rapid interventions.
He urged locals to maintain measures to curb the disease, including washing hands regularly, wearing masks in public places, and maintaining social distancing, as there were still risks of the disease finding its way to the county through travelers and porous borders with Somalia and Ethiopia.
He also emphasized the importance of not stigmatizing patients and encouraged locals not to fear being tested for Covid-19.
