Limited Covid-19 testing capacity in the counties is making the government’s effort to contain the pandemic difficult.
Council of Governors Health Committee Chairman Mohamed Kuti says the disease, which is at the community phase of infection, can only be contained if counties’ testing capacity is improved.
The Isiolo governor lamented that counties are waiting for up to a week to get results, which hampers their efforts to stem further transmissions, especially through immediate isolation of people who test positive.
Speaking at Isiolo Referral Hospital while flagging off three new ambulances for enhancing the county’s capacity to deal with emergencies, Dr Kuti said the government must move with speed and come up with measures to ensure that counties are able to test quickly and give results within the shortest time possible.
The ambulances which Dr Kuti flagged off on July 22, 2020. They will be used for enhancing Isiolo County’s capacity to deal with emergencies. PHOTO | WAWERU WAIRIMU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
“Counties may have enough isolation beds but unless the testing challenge is addressed for the results to be out in hours, the efforts will bear no fruit,” said Dr Kuti.
The county boss, who was accompanied by Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) Board Chairman Philip Kaloki who led a taskforce in assessing the county’s preparedness to deal with Covid-19, said with the lifting of the movement restrictions, contact tracing has become an uphill task.
The Isiolo Referral Hospital laboratory which was approved two months ago to bolster Covid-19 testing capacity in upper eastern region is yet to carry out a single test due to lack of kits and reagents.
The delay in getting results exposes the suspected cases at quarantine centres to more suffering as they may be required to stay in the facilities for more than a week.
Isiolo Governor Mohamed Kuti (in black T-shirt and KMTC Board Chairman Philip Kaloki (right) during the flagging off of new ambulances on July 22, 2020. PHOTO | WAWERU WAIRIMU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Recently, Governor Kuti appealed to the national government to speed up distribution of the testing kits to counties already accredited to carry out the tests so that mass testing is rolled out.
Accredited counties have been struggling to get reagents, among other items, to perform the tests.
The county has, since May when it reported its first case, tested at least 717 people with results for samples from 91 suspected cases still pending.
Eight of the patients have already been discharged from hospital after testing negative during repeated tests.
At least 1,140 health staff including community health volunteers have so far been trained on how to handle coronavirus cases.
Governor Kuti said training of health workers in private hospitals in the county, with 85 isolation beds, is ongoing.
The new ambulances are a major boost to the county’s referral system and its capability to handle Covid-19 cases.
Two of the ambulances will be deployed to Merti and Garbatulla sub-county hospitals while the other one will be stationed at the county referral hospital.
