The country has 827 infectious diseases ICU beds up from just eight beds in March when the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Kenya, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.
Uhuru in his 57th Jamhuri Day speech on Saturday also revealed that the number of isolation beds now stands at 20,910, up from 7,411 beds in September.
The President had directed that all counties have in place at least 300 bed capacity in readiness for the soring cases.
As at Thursday, the country had recorded 90,978 cases, 71,579 recoveries and 1,582 deaths.
“These achievements cannot be gainsaid. In fact, in a very short period, we have installed medical equipment never seen in this country since independence,” Uhuru said.
“By March 2021, once the Kenyatta University Hospital’s Integrated Molecular Imaging Centre is completed, there will no longer be the need for any Kenyan to travel abroad in search of specialized Cancer Treatment.”
Uhuru noted that the country’s capacity will handle most medical conditions treated abroad adding that with the expanded county healthcare infrastructure, the new capacity will be used to promote medical tourism from neighbouring countries, and to roll out Universal Healthcare under the Big Four Agenda programme.
The President further acknowledged that building a robust healthcare infrastructure at the county level has to go hand in hand with protecting health workers as well, and said the government is doing everything possible to ensure healthcare workers are protected.
“I will never tire of thanking our healthcare workers for their dedication and selflessness, amid the greatest public health challenge of the modern era," he said.
"Their professionalism, excellence, unfailing commitment to their sacred oath and their sacrifices, must be reciprocated by Kenyans acting responsibly amid the Covid-19 Pandemic.”
