News

We are unprepared to tackle COVID-19, governors now say

Tuesday, April 14th, 2020 16:50 | By
Some governors in a past event.

County governments are either not ready or unprepared to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic which is now moving into the counties, the Council of Governors (CoG) said on Tuesday.

The CoG is warning that if the National government does not address various logistical challenges facing the devolved units, they will be unable to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

In particular, the county chiefs alleged none of the 47 counties to date has received money from the National Government in support of COVID-19 response.

In their submissions to the Senate Ad hoc committee on COVID-19, the county bosses have lamented only two laboratories at the National level with their corresponding branches carrying out tests.

They include Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and National influenza laboratories in Nairobi, Kisumu, Welcome Trust Kilifi and Aga Khan Nairobi.

“Most counties have active cases and accreditation to operationalize regional laboratories has not been done and they do not have sample collection kits. These two laboratories and their branches do not have adequate testing kits,” reads part of submission to the ad hoc committee.

The county chiefs alleged that the County Governments of Machakos, Malindi, Wajir, Busia and Trans Nzoia have laboratories constructed and equipped by the World Bank but they have not been operationalized.

To ease the burden of testing on national facilities, the county bosses want the laboratories commissioned supplied with testing kits.

More on News


ADVERTISEMENT

RECOMMENDED STORIES News


ADVERTISEMENT