Health CS Mutahi Kagwe has praised Kisumu for its comprehensive Covid-19 preparedness.
Addressing the Nation from Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital today, Mr Kagwe said that besides Covid case management preparedness, Kisumu was operating a successful fully digitized Covid-19 Response Call Centre, which he described as the only one of its kind in the country.
Mr Kagwe praised Governor Anyang Nyongo over high level of cleanliness in Kisumu City. “Kisumu is beautiful, clean and well planned. I thank Prof Nyongo for this great job. You Kisumu people are lucky to have him as your Governor,” said Mr Kagwe who was accompanied by his education counterpart, Prof George Magoha.
Mr Kagwe had earlier visited Kemri/CDC research at Kisian which is the COVID-19 testing centre for the whole region and later toured the Kisumu Covid-19 Response Call center at Maseno University, City campus.
“Kisumu is far ahead of the pack in Covid-19 preparedness. I challenge other counties to borrow a leaf. We have learnt a lot today,” said the CS. He was particularly happy that Kisumu has trained and sensitized over 2400 healthcare workers and 2900 Commumity health workers on how to handle Covid-19 patients on Home Based Care as well as security personnel including police officers manning the county’s 12 border crossing points on a 24-hour basis.
Prof Nyongo said Kisumu’s success story was due to good working relationship between the County, the National government and political leaders.
Kagwe also recognized the gains accrued from the cordial partnership between Maseno University and Kisumu county, that saw the establishment of the Covid-19 Response Call Centre and the CovidConnect or Luscii App, a digital platform for self-assessment of coronavirus symptoms.
CS Kagwe who was on a fact finding tour to appraise himself and Ministry about the County’s preparedness to manage and mitigate Coronavirus infections also used the opportunity to release the daily National government Covid-19 Situational Report.
In today’s briefing, the CS said that the current cumulative number stands at 26,436 with the country having registered 599 new infections and two mortalities. He however noted that the last 24 hours has also seen 1,062 recoveries, the highest ever recorded bringing the total recoveries to 12,961. 983 of those recoveries were recorded from home based care fortifying success of that strategy.
The function was attended by Ag.Director General of Health, Dr Patrick Amoth, Deputy Governor Ochieng Owili, County Commissioner Susan Waweru, Mps Aduma Owuor, Shakeel Shabir, Jared Okello and James Nyikal.
By. Kodera Ager
photo by: Lenox Omondi
