This archive report was first published on 19 May 2020.
Kenya: Counties Unite Against Covid-19 ¶
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to spread across the country, counties in Kenya have increased their efforts to contain the virus.
With health being a devolved unit, counties have established emergency funds and committees to take on the virus. Council of Governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya stated that they have established a Sh5 billion emergency response fund.
"Through the supplementary budget, county governments have committed about Sh5 billion to the emergency fund to respond to Covid-19 and most governments have put this in their supplementary budgets," Oparanya said.
Of the 47 counties, 22 have been affected by the pandemic, with Nairobi leading in terms of reported positive cases at 419, followed by Mombasa with 314 cases and Kajiado with 30 cases.
Counties have formulated guidelines to fend off the spread of the virus, including closing markets, restaurants, bars, and social places while enforcing strict social distancing rules in public spaces.
The national government has also effected measures to restrict movement in Nairobi, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, and Mandera counties. However, some counties, including Wajir, Taita-Taveta, and Kajiado, are emerging as hotspots.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe urged all counties to heighten their level of preparedness, stating that Level 4 to Level 6 hospitals are recruiting at least 1,000 health officers, meaning there will be an additional 6,000 medical workers in the fight against the pandemic.
