Number of masks Kenya has bought in readiness for coronavirus threat
George Kebaso and Jasmine Atieno
Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) has procured over two million masks in readiness for any possible coronavirus threat.
Chief executive Jonah Manjari told journalists in Nairobi that the authority has been given specifications for the type of personal protective equipment they are supposed to procure including drugs to treat symptoms such as fever, pneumonia, and oxygen.
“Already adequate funds have been set aside to facilitate acquisition of protective gear and life-saving drugs required to manage coronavirus cases once they are detected in the country,” he said without quantifying how much has been set aside.
Speaking three days after President Uhuru Kenyatta gave the Health Ministry a week to operationalise Mbagathi Hospital, Manjari said local manufacturers have already been notified to enhance supply of masks and essential medicine required to tackle any possible outbreak in the country.
Besides procurement of protective equipment, Kemsais also tasked to purchase 120 beds for the Mbagathi hospital to operationalise the facility for possible coronavirus outbreak.
Meanwhile, the government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna has expressed concern over the upsurge of fake news surrounding coranavirus in Kenya.
“For avoidance of doubt, there is no reported case of COVID 19 in the country. As communicated earlier, the government has put in place measures to monitor and screen all passengers transiting through or originating from countries with reported outbreaks,” Oguna said in a press release.
Elsewhere, business stakeholders in Mombasa have started experiencing sharp decline in business following the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in China and other countries.
