This archive report was first published on 11 July 2020.
On July 11, 2020, the Ministry of Health in Kenya revealed the daily costs of COVID-19 care, with varying prices depending on the severity of symptoms.
According to Dr. Patrick Amoth, the Director General of the Ministry of Health, the cost of managing asymptomatic COVID-19 patients is Ksh. 21,300 per day.
For patients with slight symptoms, such as a mild cough or difficulty breathing, the cost increases to Ksh. 21,400 per day.
However, patients with severe COVID-19 who require supplementary oxygen are cared for at a cost of Ksh. 51,000 per day.
Dr. Amoth noted that the cost of ICU critical care support, including intubation and ventilatory support, is Ksh. 71,000 per day.
The Ministry of Health has implemented measures to encourage home-based care for COVID-19 patients due to the high costs associated with hospital care.
During a press briefing, Dr. Amoth also revealed that 292 Kenyan health workers have contracted COVID-19, with 160 females and 132 males affected.
Dr. Amoth attributed the high number of female health workers contracting COVID-19 to the fact that most of the people who care for COVID-positive cases in isolation centers are nurses, and the majority of nurses are female.
