Narok Governor Samuel Ole Tunai has reiterated that the county government is putting up structures to contain the possibility of the deadly corona virus case in the area.
Tunai said a committee of experts has been set up and working closely with the National Emergency Response Committee appointed by the President last week to monitor the situation in the county.
“We are taking nothing to chance because we hear the disease has no cure and is spreading at an alarming rate. The medical team put in place will help in monitoring and sensitizing members of the public on the deadly disease,” said Tunai.
The county boss revealed that health officials had visited the Chinese camp who are constructing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) at Duka Moja and Suswa areas in Narok East Sub County and confirmed that all the foreigners in the camps were safe.
“We will keep on monitoring the Chinese camp just to be sure that there is no possibility of a Corona Virus positive case,” said Tunai.
Tunai was speaking yesterday during a ground breaking ceremony for the construction of Narok Teaching and Referral Hospital which was held at the hospital premises.
Also in attendance to witness the ceremony were Devolution Cabinet Secretary (CS) Eugene Wamalwa, Bomet Governor Dr. Hillary Barchok and Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui.
Wamalwa commended the county government for its efforts to put up structures in preparedness of the possibility of Corona Virus case encouraging all other counties to follow suit.
“We should be grateful to God because the disease has not yet been reported in the country, however, all counties should take precautions and set up an emergency center specifically to deal with any possibility of infection,” he said.
Governor Kinyanjui on his part said Narok County was a World Known Wildlife Hub attracting a number of foreign visitors who flock in the area to see wild animals hence the need to be on high alert.
“The government should carefully guard entry points to the country so as to ensure any person going out and coming into the country is screened,” said Kinyanjui.
He urged the department of Public health to carry out massive public awareness campaigns saying there is a lot of information gap on the disease based on what was circulating in the social media.
The ground breaking exercise is a big relief to Narok residents who for long were forced to move to other counties in search of specialized treatment.
The expansion of the hospital is also in line with the government’s four agenda mission that seeks to achieve universal health care by the year 2022.
CS Wamalwa said the World Bank will pay Sh. 262 million which is 60 per cent of the total money needed for construction while the county government will pay 40 per cent.
The construction will be done in two phases at a period of 12 months where the first phase will comprise of 200 bed capacity while the second phase involves the construction of the teaching facility that will accommodate 250 students.
By Ann Salaton
