This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
On May 5, a nurse in Meru was forced to improvise personal protective equipment (PPE) due to a shortage at Miathene Sub-County Hospital in Tigania West.
According to sources, the nurse resorted to using a plastic garbage bag because there were no proper PPEs available at the hospital.
"There was a suspected case of Covid-19 that needed to be transferred to Meru Level Five Hospital on that day. The nurse was directed to accompany the patient in the hospital's ambulance," a source said.
However, the county's health chief officer, Kanana Kimonye, expressed skepticism about the incident, stating that she had seen the photos but could not verify whether it happened in Meru.
"I received the photos and am informed that it happened in Miathene, but I cannot verify because I cannot see the face. If it did happen, I don't understand why the health worker would do that and take photos," Dr. Kimonye said.
Despite the PPE shortage, the county government received a consignment of medical supplies from Kenya Medical Supplies Agency (Kemsa) on Wednesday, including 1,000 complete PPE kits, 45,000 surgical masks, and 1,000 hand sanitizer bottles.
Deputy Governor Titus Ntuchiu stated that the county had procured additional medical supplies at a total cost of Sh28 million to equip medical personnel against Covid-19.
