The Nyamira County Executive Committee has approved a budget for the coronavirus fight.
Governor John Nyagarama said the budget was sent to the county assembly for approval. A special sitting of the assembly will be held on Thursday.
The CEC has reviewed the 2019-20 budget to identify resources to be used to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Once approved by the county assembly, the funds will be used to buy items required in the prevention of the virus and for feeding needy families.
The governor supported measures put in place by the county emergency response committee, which he co-chairs with county commissioner Amos Mariba.
In addition to setting up screening points at the county’s borders, they have established emergency response committees at subcounty level.
The screening points are Mwongori along Kericho-Keroka highway, Ikonge along Kericho-Nyamira highway, Miruka along Homa Bay-Nyamira highway, Birongo along Kisii-Keroka highway and Chabera along Kisumu-Chepilat highway.
Nyagarama also distributed face masks to boda boda operators, the elderly and pregnant women. More than 6,000 litres of hand sanitiser was distributed.
Of the county's 238 suspected cases, 199 have been discharged while 39 are still in quarantine at Nyamira KMTC, Sironga Girls, Kebabe Girls, Menyenya and Nyambaria high schools. Seventeen samples taken from those in quarantine returned negative.
The county has equipped Bombangi Health Centre with a five-bed isolation unit. Construction of a 17-bed isolation unit with a five-bed ICU at Nyamira County Hospital is underway.
More than 1, 000 trained community health volunteers are currently teaching residents how to prevent coronavirus. The county has bought safety gear for frontline health workers.
Edited by Frank Obonyo
