This archive report was first published on 5 June 2020.
Government Disburses Ksh 5 Billion Grant to Counties ¶
On June 5, 2020, the Government of Kenya disbursed a conditional grant of Kshs. 5 billion to all 47 counties to bolster the level of readiness in the health facilities.
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe emphasized that each county must prioritize its needs in accordance with the funds provided and utilize these funds to safeguard the lives of the people.
According to Kagwe, if the counties are fully prepared and have the necessary infrastructure in place, the country will have nothing to worry about. However, he clarified that this does not mean the money will replace what the Ministry has been supporting, such as the supply of PPEs and others.
The Ministry of Health is in the process of actualizing home and community-based care protocols for roll out and implementation countrywide.
Regarding the COVID-19 situation, Kagwe noted that over 80 per cent of patients in hospitals are asymptomatic and may be managed from home. If implemented, this would free health facilities from congestion.
As of the last 24 hours, 124 people have tested positive from 2,640 samples, bringing the total number of positive cases to 2,340. The positive cases include 119 Kenyans, 2 Somalis, 2 Tanzanians, and one Eritrean National.
Dr. Patrick Amoth, Acting Director General of Health, explained that the government is exploring the possibility of community isolation and home care-based facilities to decongest and prevent healthcare facilities from being overwhelmed.
Dr. Amoth noted that majority of the cases are asymptomatic, making it no business sense to manage them in a hospital facility. He added that home-based care has worked before, as seen during the early days of the HIV pandemic in low-middle-income countries.
By Wangari Ndirangu
