The County Government of Homa Bay has purchased life support equipment worth Sh3.7m to enhance the fight against Covid-19.
Governor Cyprian Awiti said the equipment will come in handy for medical staff on the frontline in the fight against Covid-19.
Speaking when he received the equipment on Friday at the county headquarters, Awiti said the equipment will be installed in the Intensive Care Unit at the County Referral Hospital.
The equipment includes ten multi-parameter patient monitors and a defibrillator. The machines are used for supporting the lives of bed-ridden patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
The defibrillator is used for stimulating the body in case of organ failure.
Awiti said the ongoing construction of the ICU unit will be completed in the next month. The Governor said the county cannot fight coronavirus effectively without the ICU.
“We are working round the clock to ensure the ICU starts operating in one month. Covid-19 has made life difficult hence we want all patients to receive advanced medical care in our county,” Awiti said.
He said they had also in the process of acquiring ten beds to be used in the ICU.
The governor said his administration had increased the number of Covid-19 treatment and isolation centers from one to three. This is aimed at enhancing efficiency in handling the patients.
The county has opened the two medical centers at Kisegi in Suba South Constituency and Ober in Kabondo Kasipul constituency. The two centers complement the first one established at Malela in Ndhiwa constituency.
“We must put prior arrangements in place to ensure our Covid-19 centers are not overwhelmed by patients,” Awiti said.
The governor urged residents to maintain social distancing and sanitize regularly to prevent the spread of the virus.
“Let us put on masks all the time and wash our hands to enable us to prevent this disease,” he added.
The Governor told residents to stop the culture of attending funerals of distant relatives and unnecessary visits.
County Emergency Response Committee Chairman Eng Ken Onditi told the county residents to adhere to all regulations introduced by the government to prevent Covid-19.
“Let us also join hands as Homa Bay residents in the fight against coronavirus,” Onditi said.
By Davis Langat
Homa Bay County government acquires medical equipment.
