• Wandayi asked the Ministry of Health to urgently come clear on the protocol for disposal of bodies in all Covid-19 cases.
• Oriaro said the manner in which the body was buried was unacceptable and should not be repeated elsewhere.
Image: COURTESY
Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi and Central Alego MCA Leonard Oriaro have condemned the Siaya health department for the manner in which they disposed of the body of a Covid-19 victim in Ukwala, Siaya county.
Wandayi said although people are facing an unprecedented pandemic, culture and dignity for the dead must be observed.
"Yes, the pandemic has turned our lives upside down but we must apply the good standards for every situation," Wandayi said.
The leaders' observation comes two days after James Oyugi was buried in a shallow grave at his home in the middle of the night after succumbing to Covid-19
Wandayi asked the Ministry of Health to urgently come clear on the protocol for disposal of bodies in all Covid-19 cases.
Oriaro said the manner in which the body was buried was unacceptable and should not be repeated elsewhere.
"I want to be categorical that Governor Cornel Rasanga together with his county public health personnel have been badly exposed as one with ignorant and deficient rules insofar as the national and global handling of the entire Covid-19 pandemic is concerned," Oriaro said.
The MCA said Rasanga bears political responsibility for the mishandling of the victim.
But in a press briefing, Rasanga said the body was interred in compliance with the protocols and guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health on handling Covid-19 fatalities under the supervision of medical and security personnel.
Rasanga at the same time conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased on his behalf and that of the Siaya county government.
The family has also condemned the manner in which their kin was buried.
The governor said arising from the unfortunate incident, the county emergency response committee has moved to trace and quarantined up to 45 persons who made contacts with Oyugi.
Rasanga added that he is also in contact with Kisumu and Mombasa counties to trace other contacts who are within their respective jurisdictions.
The governor regretted that some people have failed to heed to his appeal of staying where they are.
"I once more wish to reiterate my appeal to our people to stay where they are and in the same vein strongly urge our people to be more vigilant and share information with our local administrators on people who come to the county from other areas," Rasanga said.
Rasanga urged other counties to be vigilant and diligent in the enforcement of preventive measures as stipulated by the national government.
Rasanga said they have since established that Oyugi left Mombasa on Monday, April 5, by road using his private car in the company of three other family members.
He terminated his journey in Kisumu, where he stayed overnight at a relatives' house, before proceeding to his rural home in Ukwala on Tuesday.
On arrival at his home, he kept a low profile and fell ill on Friday, and sought treatment at Matibabu Hospital in Ukwala.
"Upon preliminary diagnosis at the facility, the patient was referred to Siaya County Referral Hospital for X-Ray services, which he received and went back to Matibabu Hospital for further treatment," Rasanga said.
Unfortunately, Rasanga said, the patient's condition deteriorated rapidly on his arrival at Matibabu Hospital and succumbed to the virus at about 8pm on the same date.
Rasanga said the samples were taken on Saturday morning and sent to KEMRI, Kisumu, for testing.
"The results which confirmed the deceased was Covid-19 positive were officially conveyed to the public by the Ministry of Health in Nairobi on Sunday April 12," he added.
Edited by E.Kibii