Covid-19 facilities in Nairobi are still admitting patients with most of them less than 50 per cent occupied.
The Nairobi Metropolitan Service on Friday denied claims that Covid-19 isolation centres in the city are full.
“I think it’s just panic. Nairobi facilities still have space for Covid-19 patients. In terms of capacity, Nairobi we are okay," said NMS director for health Josephine Kibaru-Mbae.
“Of course we all want Covid-19 to just disappear but in terms of accommodation Nairobi is set,” she added.
Giving highlight, Dr Mbae disclosed as of March 4, 2021, Mama Lucy Hospital had 19 patients admitted against a capacity of 60, while in Mbagathi was 50 per cent occupied.
The Kibera South makeshift has a capacity of 50 and on Friday it had 12 patients.
Mbae reiterated that Covid-19 patients in Nairobi have somewhere to be taken should they lack a place for Home-Based Care. “Home-based care is what we highly recommended for those who can manage since it removes a lot of stigma and psychosocial issues,” she said.
Last year in July the Ministry of Health announced that Home-based care was the best way to handle Covid-19 especially with the then expected spike in infections.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said primary healthcare has been recognised globally as the most effective way of making improvements in the healthcare delivery and addressing the heavy burden of disease, therefore contributing to better medical care, social-economic development as well as achieving Universal Health Coverage.
A 150-bed makeshift medical facility was set up at Mbagathi Hospital to deal with the increasing cases of Covid-19 in Nairobi. It also comprised of 20 Intensive Care Unit beds.
Currently, NMS is redoing the floors at the makeshift in Mbagathi forcing them to move outpatients until the works are done. “The patients had to be moved as renovations are being done. But we are hoping next week we shall have the patients back,” Mbae said.
Covid-19 isolation centres in Nairobi include Mbagathi, KNH and Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital.
Lady Griffin at Kenya Medical Training College also has 190 beds, Pumwani's Nursing and Training College 90 and Bahati Health Centre 50.
A 50-bed capacity wing was completed at Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital where 18 beds will be in the ICU.
However, according to Mbae, the ICU wing is experiencing some delay as it was being set up by the World Bank, who are still finalising with the Ministry of Health.
“Despite the delay, ICU services are being offered as the hospital already has the ventilators which are meant to be part of the ICU wing once completed,”she said.
“As NMS we had asked for the ventilators to come in advance so we are able to use them on the patients. It’s not a complete ICU however, it can support breathing issues,” Mbae explained.
-Edited by Sarah Kanyara
