A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH FOR KAKAMEGA ON COVID-19 PANDEMIC MANAGEMENT PREPAREDNESS
Kakamega is among the most prepared counties to handle the effects of Covid-19 pandemic in Kenya. This was revealed by the Covid-19 Response Team comprising of Health experts appointed by the Cabinet Secretary Hon Mutahi Kagwe while presenting a report of their findings on Kakamega County at the county headquarters on Wednesday afternoon.
The team was tasked to assess and report on the state of preparedness by counties in managing Corona virus, in the respective regions. The Chairman Kenyatta National Hospital who is also Cluster-9 team leader Western region, Mr George Ooko, praised H.E the Governor Hon FCPA Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya for his true reflection of Kenya’s governance system in Kakamega County.
Addressing Chief Officers, Health Services staff, together with members of the National Covid-19 Response Team at the county chambers hall, Mr Ooko applauded the Governor for allocating more resources to the health sector saying that contributed to the county’s exemplary performance in saving lives especially during this period.
“We visited 5 Covid-19 units; Mautuma, Manyala, Mumias, Kakamega General Hospital as well as the monumental level 6 Kakamega Teaching & Referral Hospital and we confidently assert that the county’s level of preparedness is way beyond expectations,” he said.
“The tremendous work done by Governor Oparanya and his team can be seen through the enviable health facilities and the well trained and equipped health workers in handling this pandemic,” he added.
The County Secretary and Head of Public Service madam Jacinta Aluoch Odhiambo, while receiving the report on behalf of H.E the Governor, thanked the delegation for the candid findings on the county’s state of Covid-19 preparedness and attributed the commendable results to the Governor’s result-oriented leadership style adding that the government has a robust coordination mechanism that involves the National Government, Non-Governmental Organizations and other stakeholders like the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, learning institutions and members of the public among others.
“Kakamega County has to-date recorded 54 cases of Covid-19 while a good number of patients have recuperated from the home care based services thanks to our frontliners and all the players in this most challenging health risk” she said.
The health delegation has been in Western region for one month inspecting health facilities earmarked for handling corona virus patients in Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia and Kakamega counties.