The war against Covid-19 disease in Kisumu County received a major boost after a local firm donated 30 beds to boost quarantine-bed capacity in the area.
The donation by Abysinia Iron and Steel Company Limited among other interventions will bring the county’s installed quarantine bed capacity to 398.
Speaking after receiving the donation at Lumumba Sub-County Hospital in Kisumu on Monday, Governor Anyang Nyong’o said additional beds shall be installed at the facility which has the capacity of holding 70 patients.
He disclosed that a 200-bed centre was almost complete at Kisumu County Referral Hospital with an additional 128 beds installed at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
All County hospitals, he said have set up 5-bed holding centers to enhance the county’s capacity to handle the disease in the event of an outbreak.
The County Government, he added has acquired Sunset Hotel to house health workers that will be managing emergent cases to reduce exposure to their families.
Victoria Hospital, he added has been reserved as an isolation center for healthcare workers in the event of an infection amongst them.
“One may ask why all these measures. As you are aware Kisumu has the largest referral health facility in this region and we expect that in the event of an outbreak we shall receive cases from our neighbouring counties and we must be able to handle them,” he said.
Even though Kisumu has not recorded any Covid-19 case, the governor said measures have been put in place to intensify screening at points of entry into the county to help contain the virus.
“I am happy to report that over the one month since the first case was reported in the country, we have carried out 50 tests; 18 from the isolation centers and 32 from Quarantine centers with all returning negative results,” he said.
The call to contribute towards the Kisumu Covid-19 fund, he said, was positive with the county government having already allocated Sh200 million.
He urged political leaders in the area not to politicize the fund but help in raising contributions to cushion the poor and vulnerable against the harsh economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The food donations received, he said shall be taken directly to the beneficiaries who have already been mapped.
By Chris Mahandara
