This archive report was first published on 17 July 2020.
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, Kenya's healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. The severity of the disease has put a strain on resources, leading to burnout among health workers, some of whom have also contracted the virus.
According to a nationwide assessment, most county hospitals are operating at full capacity, with some even forced to turn away referrals due to lack of space. The Kenyatta National Hospital's Isolation Unit in Mbagathi is a prime example, with the senior director of clinical services, Dr. Irene Inwani, announcing that the unit will only admit confirmed cases, effective immediately.
"The unit will not receive referrals from the counties as directed by the ministry of Health on July 8, 2020, unless under special circumstances," Dr. Inwani stated in a memo to all directors and heads of departments.
Healthcare workers are not only facing burnout but also inadequate protective equipment. In Lamu County, workers at the King Fahad Referral Hospital have downed their tools, citing poor working conditions that are exposing them to COVID-19. Six of them have contracted the virus.
Similar concerns have been raised in Kisumu County, where nurses have expressed worries over the quality of personal protective equipment (PPEs) provided to them. A nurse at Rabuor Sub-County Hospital revealed that they are only given two face masks for a week, which is woefully inadequate.
"We have taken them to our lab in Nairobi. We will have feedback by next week," said Kebs Regional Manager Andrew Maiyo, in response to the Nation's request to test the PPEs.
