• Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said they have trained some 59,000 volunteers, who have been deployed across the country.
• Council of Governors chair Wycliffe Oparanya said counties are also training health workers and volunteers on the guidelines.
Medics are concerned that home-based care might increase Covid-19 infections if Kenyans do not strictly follow the guidelines by the Ministry of Health.
The ministry has adopted a phased approach by first training community health volunteers to sensitise the public.
Health CAS Mercy Mwangangi said they have trained 59,000 volunteers who have been deployed across the country.
"This approach will ensure correct information reaches households to demystify myths and misconceptions of Covid-19. This is important if we are to achieve behaviour change that is necessary for flattening the infection curve," she said.
Last week, the ministry released at least 600 patients to pilot the programme.
Global Association of Clinical Officers and Physician Associates African head Austin Oduor said the system is prone to abuse and should be monitored closely.
"If asymptomatic patients are not properly sensitised, they might continue to interact with other family members. So proper education is important before it’s rolled out," Oduor said.
Council of Governors chair Wycliffe Oparanya said counties are also training health workers and volunteers on the guidelines.
In the last week, 30 counties had trained 689 healthcare workers and sensitised 1,614 volunteers.
"This will enhance the response measures at the county level," he said.
Kenya is the only country in the region to go the home-based care route as cases of community transmission surge.
"The national government has reported that 91 per cent of the cases are locally transmitted, hence underscoring the need for strengthening community prevention and surveillance activities," Oparanya said.
Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council CEO Daniel Yumbya defended the programme saying it is unlikely to spread infections because patients who qualify will be vetted.
"For informal settlements where households share small spaces, the government will identify institutions within the community that meet the recommendations for providing such care," he said.
The Home-Based Isolation and Care Guidelines for Patients were developed by the ministry in conjunction with the KMPDC, the Kenya Health Professionals Oversight Authority, the World Health Organization and other stakeholders in the sector.
According to the WHO, patients with only mild illness can be cared for at home as long as they can be followed up.
WHO says such patients should be without underlying chronic conditions such as lung or heart disease, renal failure, or immune-compromising conditions that place the patient at increased risk of complications.
“This decision requires careful clinical judgment and should be informed by an assessment of the safety of the patient’s home environment,” the WHO guidelines say.
Where feasible, a trained healthcare worker should conduct an assessment to verify whether the residential setting is suitable for providing care.
“The healthcare worker must assess whether the patient and the family are capable of adhering to the precautions that will be recommended as part of home care isolation such as hygiene in and around the house."
Edited by R.Wamochie