Bishops urge State to address high coronavirus cases among truckers
The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has urged the government to address the rising numbers of truck drivers contracting Covid-19 disease.
The bishops said truck drivers contributed immensely to the economy and the high number of infections indicated a gap in addressing the challenges they face regarding their health and safety.
Speaking at the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi during the Sunday service, Bishop Virgilio Pante of Maralal Diocese said the matter was of great concern to Kenyans.
The mass was attended by the Head of the Catholic Church in Kenya, John Cardinal Njue and Archbishop Martin Kivuva of the Archdiocese of Mombasa.
Bishop Pante (pictured), who is also the Chair of KCCB Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Sea-farers, said the Bishops were also concerned about the impact of the disease to vulnerable populations.
“The people living in streets in towns and those suffering from mental illness are in a more precarious situation and high risk of contracting the disease,” said Bishop Pante.
Concerning gender-based violence, the cleric appealed to families facing the challenges to exercise restraint and embrace patience, dialogue, forgiveness and peace building.
He observed that domestic violence had a negative impact on the mental health of victims especially children and women.
Meanwhile, an inmate at Manyani Maximum Security Prison in Taita-Taveta County has tested positive for Covid-19 triggering concerns of a possible mass spread of the pandemic amongst other inmates at the second largest penal institution in Coast region.
The patient was transferred to Rekeke health facility in Taveta sub-county where he is currently undergoing treatment.
Another inmate who was sharing a cubicle with the one who tested positive was isolated at the prison.Taita Taveta Health executive John Mwangeka said members of the county’s rapid response team had already started contact tracing for anyone who might have come into contact with the infected inmate. -KNA
