Devolved units are yet to receive support from the Ministry of Health for emergency preparedness against coronavirus.
Nandi Health CEC Ruth Koech told an emergency sitting convened to pass a supplementary budget that the county had neither received any support towards Covid-19 nor had any funds for it.
Koech told county representatives that the county needed Sh130 million to procure Personal Protective Equipment for health workers, drugs and sanitiser.
Koech told the assembly that the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority had been overwhelmed by counties' orders and was unable to supply them with drugs.
“We had been supplied with 1,000 face masks for health workers, but we rejected them because they were of poor quality and posed a danger to the doctors and health personnel,” she said.
Assembly Speaker Joshua Kiptoo said the assembly sitting was called to operationalise the Nandi Emergency Response Bill gazette in March by forming an emergency committee team, to oversee it.
He added, “We have witnessed nations with first-class health services in the world being brought to a halt by Covid-19 hence the need for preparedness."
It also emerged that 69 people among them 39 foreign nationals have been placed under self-quarantine in the county.
Samples tested negative but they remain in quarantine for 28 days under close monitoring by public health officials.
Koech said the county was faced with serious challenges among them logistics to monitor quarantined persons due to lack of funds.
Nandi is one of the counties that lack an Intensive Care Unit as preparations to confront Covid-19 elevate.
However, a supplementary budget could address this. Already, three nurses are undergoing training on ICU while others have graduated and are ready to work.
More than 250 health workers have also been trained on coronavirus. The county needs to train 1,000 persons.
The CEC said health workers could be the first line victims hence the need to have quality protective gear. “About 10,000 PPEs are urgently needed which will only be available if the supplementary budget is passed as soon as possible."
The assembly was also informed that 20 secondary schools have been identified as isolation centres in case of infection.
Edited by R.Wamocie
