Nyanza leaders worried by high cost of Covid treatment
Health workers attend to a patient recuperating from Covid-19 at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital in Kisumu County on June 10, 2021. Kisumu County has recently experienced a surge in Covid-19 cases with isolation centers and mortuaries filled to capacity.
What you need to know:
- Mr Kaluma said he had to part with Sh2.3 million to offset hospital bills that accrued over the eight days that the deceased was in hospital.
- Service delivery in the two devolved units has been affected with most staff being asked to work from home.
A section of Nyanza leaders has raised concern over the high cost of Covid-19 treatment amid rising infections in the Lake Region counties. The leaders said that ordinary Kenyans were dying because they are unable to afford treatment.
Lake Region recorded 1,320 new cases the past one week, with Kisumu leading with 368 new cases followed by Siaya County with 197 and Busia 196 cases.
Homa Bay registered 167 cases, Kericho had 102, Kisii 100, Migori 44, Bomet 55, Kakamega 47, Vihiga 27 and Nyamira 17.
Covid-19 infections
Migori County recorded three cases of the deadly Indian variant amidst the surge in infections. County public Health Director Kenneth Ombogo told Nation.Africa that the cases were discovered on Friday.
The Ministry of Health has singled out Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Kisii, Nyamira, Migori, Busia, Vihiga, Bungoma, Kericho and Bomet as counties which have reported an increase in the number of Covid-19 infections.
Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang and MPs Samuel Atandi (Alego Usonga) and Peter Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) urged residents to take personal responsibility and keep themselves from Covid-19.
They were speaking in Nyadhi, Alego Siya County during the funeral of Mrs Caroline Bodi, Mr Kaluma’s mother-in -law who succumbed to the virus.
Mr Kaluma said he had to part with Sh2.3 million to offset hospital bills that accrued over the eight days that the deceased was in hospital.
“I could afford this because I am an MP. What happens to the common mwananchi? We need to relook this as a government,” said Mr Kaluma.
In Kakamega, 15 patients are admitted to Kakamega County Referral Hospital. Three of the patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), eight on oxygen while another three are admitted to the Mumias Level Four Hospital isolation facility.
County Health Executive Dr Collins Matemba said that four people had died of the virus in the last 48 hours.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado and County Commissioner Boaz Cherutich on Friday issued fresh directives aimed at scaling down the spread of the virus.
The duo directed that all bodies in mortuaries in the county should be removed for burial within 72 hours. The county has so far recorded 1,512 positive cases and 29.
In Kisii and Nyamira counties, authorities are implementing measures to curb the rising infections which have left some patients in dire need of oxygen support.
Service delivery in the two devolved units has been affected with most staff being asked to work from home.
The Kisii County Government Health Services Department on Friday directed that all places of worship in Birongo Ward in Nyaribari shall remain closed for 14 days after several church members tested positive for the virus.
Several staff at the Kisii County government have also tested positive for Covid-19 with the Treasury department currently having 10 cases.
This has forced the devolved unit to direct all but essential staff to work from home following a spike in the infections. County Secretary Patrick Lumumba, in a circular to senior department heads, said among staff who had tested positive, are executives.
"To that effect, it has been directed that Chief Officers identify essential staff and personnel who will manage essential services for one week starting June 9, 2021 to June 16, 2021," said Mr Lumumba.
He added that all other staff had been directed to work from home.
"Today, we are in receipt of a letter from the Ministry of Health indicating a high positivity in the Lake Region counties. It has also been confirmed that Kisii County's rate of positivity is on an upward trend" read the circular by Mr Lumumba.
Kisii County Director of Public Health Dr Richard Onkware said 36 patients are currently in an isolation ward while 20 are on oxygen support.
In Nyamira, County Commissioner Amos Mariba said that the isolation wards were full.
“We will close private morgues which have been storing bodies for more than 72 hours. I will take administrative measures on chiefs and sub chiefs who allow overnight vigil of bodies in homesteads,” said Mr Mariba, adding that residents have been ignoring Covid-19 safety protocols.
In Homa Bay, County Health Administrator Elly Odhiambo described the situation at the isolation facilities as manageable. He said they were working hard to ensure that they create space for all critically ill patients at the Homa Bay County Referral Hospital.
“Once stable, patients are being transferred to other isolation facilities where they will fully recover to create space for others in need of intensive care,” he said.
The county health department headquarters was closed after some senior officials tested positive for Covid-19.
Reports by Rushdie Oudia, Ian Byron, Ruth Mbula, Shaban Makokha and George Odiwuor
