• Facility was to be used as a temporary residential centre for pregnant women awaiting their delivery date at the hospital.
• Is a large room portioned into eight cubicles which means it will be able to hold only eight patients.
Lamu county government has set up an isolation facility for suspected coronavirus patients at the King Fahad Hospital in Lamu Island.
The recently commissioned maternal shelter has been converted to an isolation centre and will now be on standby to receive any cases of the Covid-19 disease for quarantine and treatment at the facility.
The facility is a large room portioned into eight cubicles which means it will be able to hold only eight patients.
Health Executive Anne Gathoni said the county had equally kick-started special training for nurses and doctors at the hospital and other facilities to help run things when the need arises.
The Sh4.8 million maternal shelter was opened last year in Octoberat an event presided over by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi. It was constructed under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund through the office of Woman Representative Ruweida Obbo.
The facility was to be used as a temporary residential centre for pregnant women awaiting their delivery date at the hospital.
Gathoni, however, said the decision to turn the shelter into an isolation centre was reached because of its location – a few metres from wards and other buildings within the hospital compound.
Senior attendant at the isolation facility, Khadija Kupi, said she was ready to receive patients.
However, while other centres like Mbagathi Hospital's are equipped with beds, scanners and test kits, the Lamu facility only has beds and cupboards. Questions rose on the lack of crucial facilities at the facilities including basic resuscitation equipment, ICU facilities, masks and other crucial equipment required to effectively tackle the pandemic.
Gathoni said the county was alert so as to ensure any incidents in the region are promptly arrested to avoid further spread.
“Health workers' sensitisation is ongoing. We'll provide the staff required for the same."
She revealed that response measures in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak have also been activated.
"The county government in conjunction with the national government have activities and measures lined up. Planned public sensitisation campaigns are already ongoing to allay fears and address any issues that may arise," the CSEC said.
"Test centres at national public health laboratories, sample collection and transport arrangements have also been put in place."
The county's health sector has been in the limelight in the last few weeks over the deplorable state of hospitals and other health facilities which lack the necessary infrastructure.
While appearing before the county assembly Health committee two weeks ago, Gathoni admitted that there was a shortage of drugs in facilities. She indicated that the shortage was because the drugs were being stolen by staff at the various facilities.
Residents are now questioning the preparedness of Lamu to deal with the virus considering normal illnesses have proved to be a hassle to deal with.
Lamu has four key public hospitals, 34 dispensaries and several health centres.
Edited by R.Wamochie