The Murang`a County government will facilitate patients supposed to attend appointments at medical facilities within Nairobi during this time of cessation of movement in and of the Nairobi city county.
After the National government announced restricted movement of people in and out of Nairobi, some patients may face challenge to access hospitals within Nairobi for special treatment.
Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria has asked those who have medical appointments in hospitals within Nairobi to report to Murang’a county referral hospital for assistance.
“The county government will assess each case and if need be the patient be provided with ambulance to take them to hospitals where they have appointments,” stated Wa Iria in his office on Wednesday.
He added that the county hospital will also try to provide medication to those with special cases instead of allowing them to Nairobi.
“Movement of people is very much discouraged and especially for sick people. The assistance we may give is to provide ambulance services and also with consultation bring drugs to those who are supposed to get them in Nairobi,” explained Wa Iria.
On Monday from 7pm police officers mounted a road block at Chania river along Nairobi – Nyeri road to prevent people from traveling to and from Nairobi metropolitan area.
The governor said its better for people to follow up given measures to help combat spread of coronavirus.
“It’s clear that this disease is being spread through movement of people and that’s why as Murang’a county we discourage much travelling. After the government restricted movement of people to and from Nairobi metropolitan, here in Murang’a we consider to prevent people from going or come from neighbouring counties,” Wa Iria further said.
At the same time the county health department has directed all patients visiting all public health facilities to wear face masks.
In a memo issued by the County Executive member for Health and Sanitation Mr. Joseph Mbai, no patient without mask will be attended to in any of the local hospitals.
Mbai said all health workers will continue putting on face masks adding that patients need to wear the same as they seek treatment at the local health facilities.
On Monday the county government commenced an exercise of distributing free face masks to local residents.
The first group to benefit from the locally manufactured masks was boda boda operators with warning being issued against those who fail to wear the masks.
By Bernard Munyao