The testing of cargo truck drivers for Covid-19 at the Miritini center in Mombasa will be enhanced to ease congestion for those waiting to be tested.
East African Community and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohammed said this Friday during the launch of Northern Corridor Covid 19 sensitization campaigns from Mombasa to Malaba that will run for the next 14 days.
The CS said the delays at the Miritini testing center had been occasioned by the large number of drivers cleared by the port while the testing facility could only attend to 100 drivers a day.
“I am made to understand 600 transit cargo transport drivers are cleared from the port but our capacity to test is only 100,” said CS Mohammed vowing to contact his Health counterpart Mutahi Kangwe to increase the testing capacity for drivers at the facility.
The CS attributed the delays at Malaba to the number of drivers leaving the port to go test at the border assuring the drivers that they will now be tested at the Miritini center before embarking to their destinations with health certificates for Covid.
Mohamed said the road block checks at Athi river will then be removed so drivers can go express from Mombasa to Malaba uninterrupted since they have valid certificates.
Mombasa County CEC in charge of health Hazel Koitaba noted that there had been challenges getting testing kits.
She said some of the delays were as a result of drivers making fake certificates to avoid being returned at border points.
On the other hand, truck drivers’ representative Roman Waema said they have undergone a lot of challenges at the borders to neighbouring countries.
Waema said they will embark on a sensitization campaign for safety of the drivers beginning coming Monday.
By Joseph Kamolo
