• A Senate committee has called on the government to improve its coordination with the counties to ensure seamless response to the coronavirus pandemic.
• Chairman Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) said there need to bring all the three arms of the government and the counties on board to better fight the pandemic.
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
A Senate committee has called on the government to improve its coordination with the counties to ensure a seamless response to the coronavirus pandemic.
In its first progress report, the Senate ad hoc committee formed to oversight the actions and measures taken by the two governments said the two should work together in combating the disease.
Chairman Johnson Sakaja (Nairobi) said there is a need to bring all the three arms of the government and the counties on board to better fight the pandemic.
“At the preliminary stage, the ad hoc committee recommends that there is more structured coordination between the two levels and the three arms of government in ensuring a seamless response to the Covid-19,” reads the report.
Sakaja and his team released the report at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday where they also briefed the press on the progress the panel has made since it was formed last Tuesday.
The team was formed to provide oversight to the National Emergency Response Committee on Covid-19 and propose measures to cushion Kenyans against the health and economic effects of the virus.
Sakaja disclosed that the committee meet the response team chaired by Health CS Mutahi Kagwe on Friday to brief them on the current situation and the measures rolled out to contain the spread of the virus.
“The committee has and continues to undertake an in-depth analysis of the issues arising from the pandemic, with a view to ensuring that all possible concerns were addressed, that stakeholders were engaged to the best extent possible,” Sakaja said.
The committee will also meet at least 10 cabinet secretaries, the EACC, DPP, NPS and other professionals to collect their views on measures to protect the masses.
Already the team has received 88 submissions from professionals, human rights organisations and other stakeholders.
The committee will recommend policy and legislative changes to effectively and wholesomely address the Covid-19 situation.
Among the key issues, the committee seeks to address are health matters; which includes improving community health provision, testing, quarantining, isolation centres and ICU facilities among others.
Other issues are economic and finance which includes assessing the impact of the disease on business and cushioning SMEs and borrowers.
Also included are Social, public order and human rights which encompasses protection of vulnerable persons and groups measures to enable learners to continue with their education and access to justice and decongestion of prisons and remand facilities.
Others are access to food, water and other basic commodities and other support services such prevention of further infections and combating stigmatization.