Vihiga received medical equipment worth Sh12.3 million from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the weekend to combat Covid-19.
This came as a major boost to the county, whose Health CEC had admitted has no capacity to combat the virus if it spread there.
Health executive Amos Kutwa said the cost of most items has skyrocketed due to limited supply.
"Our effort to source this equipment took us time because most of the markets are now closed. The few that are there don't have the required equipment and those with the items have taken the advantage of the situation to overprice them," he said.
The equipment donated included N95 masks, sanitiser, personal protective equipment, oxygen cylinders, detergents, beds and drip stands.
Vihiga has not registered any Covid-19 case since March 13, when the first one was announced.
"We are grateful to partner with Vihiga in addressing the pandemic at hand. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints goes beyond the intellectual understanding of the Word of [God] to practically applying it to our day-to-day lives," said Nairobi region President Khumbulani Nzetshe.
He said the donation is in line with the church's mission of helping people in times of need.
"This is a great gesture and I want to note that this donation is going to make a great difference in the way we handle the coronavirus pandemic," Governor Wilber Ottichillo said.
"I am grateful to the church leadership for having approved the exact budget prepared by my administration.” He urged other churches to help the government.
Vihiga was initially listed among the counties that have performed poorly in combating the virus.
County commissioner Ochillo Oyugi said the donation is a major boost. "This disease is global and there is a resource gap in dealing with it. Such an act comes in handy with technological development and innovative brains,” he said.
