This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
As Kenya braces for the COVID-19 peak from next month, Nyandarua County has taken proactive measures to combat the spread of the disease. The county has allocated Ksh 2.4 billion to fight the impact and spread of COVID-19.
According to Governor Francis Kimemia, part of the funds has been used to procure ventilators, PPEs, and masks in stepped up efforts to contain the disease. In an interview on the Good Morning Kenya show aired on KBC Channel 1, Kimemia disclosed that the county has also set aside Ksh 230 million to fight the pandemic.
"Apart from procurement of equipment, we have set aside Ksh.230million to fight this pandemic, which means the county has to put on hold other ongoing development projects," Kimemia stated.
The county has also taken measures to enhance its preparedness against COVID-19. An Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with 15 beds and nine ventilators has been installed, as well as an isolation facility with 330 beds in case the pandemic escalates.
Additionally, more than 8,000 water tanks have been installed in various markets in the County to ensure adequate hand washing in line with the Ministry of Health safety guidelines.
Kimemia also disclosed that surveillance has been intensified at the County's 10 border points to check movement of people in and out of the County. This, he said, will make contact tracing easier in the event of a positive case.
The County is also working closely with officers from the Nyumba Kumi initiative to sensitize the communities against stigmatization of COVID-19 victims and taking proper precautionary measures against the disease.
Kimemia appealed to the people of Nyandarua County residing in Nairobi or other areas to avoid visiting their parents and the elderly in wake of COVID-19. He warned that young people could unknowingly pass the virus to their elders leading to more infections.
Published on July 13, 2020, at 5:47 PM EAT.
