This archive report was first published on 4 June 2020.
Kenya is poised to adopt home-based care protocols for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients, a move that could be implemented as early as next week, according to the health ministry.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the plan, citing the need to minimize congestion at health facilities, particularly in Nairobi where hospitals are already reaching full capacity.
More than 80 percent of patients in hospitals are asymptomatic, and the ministry aims to manage these cases at home to prevent hospital overcrowding.
"If this is implemented, it will free our health facilities from congestion," Kagwe said, noting that Mbagathi Hospital and Kenyatta University Hospital are already at full capacity.
The new protocols, which are aligned with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, will facilitate the smooth running of hospitals managing COVID-19 patients, according to Acting Director General Patrick Amoth.
The government will also provide community-based care for families unable to adhere to home-based care regulations, Kagwe added.
He appealed to Kenyans to avoid stigmatizing patients released for home-based care and to uphold discipline while undergoing treatment.
