EU and Kenya Red Cross donate PPEs worth shs 7.7M to a Kisumu Hospital

European Union Ambassador Simon Mordue hands over part of the PPEs to Deputy Governor Kisumu Dr. Mathews Owili today after the EU and the Kenya Red Cross donated the items to regional referral Hospital in Kisumu.With them is the Kenya Red Cross General Secretary Asha Mohamed{R}-Photo By  Dickson Odhiambo

 By Dickson Odhiambo

 

October 7, 2020

 

EU and Kenya Red Cross donate PPEs worth shs 7.7M to a Kisumu Hospital

 

The European Union and the Kenya Red Cross Society have donated personal protective equipment, pharmaceutical and non- pharmaceutical supplies valued at Kshs. 7.7 million to bolster healthcare system in Kisumu County.

 

The team has been led by the EU Ambassador to Kenya Simon Mordue and the Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Asha Mohammed.

 

The donation is part of the Kshs. 636 million grant under the EU Emergency Response Project launched in June 2020 to support Covid -19 pandemic response activities in 20 counties.

 

Speaking at the handover ceremony, the European Union Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Mordue reaffirmed EU’s commitment to Kenya and the County during the pandemic saying it is a global challenge that calls for solidarity.

 

“On a global stage, the right response to Covid -19 is to step up our efforts to work together and demonstrate solidarity”, he says.

 

He says the EU was able to mobilize considerable support when the pandemic was still at a moderate stage of development in Kenya saying that the donation is part of the overall response to raise awareness and improving access to protection equipment.

 

He reiterates the support to frontline healthcare workers is particularly important as it is through their courage and commitment that the country was able to contain the disease and prevent its further spread.

 

The Ambassador has been impressed with the work Kisumu County is doing in terms of disease surveillance and prevention.

 

“We all know that early detection and prevention is part of how to best respond to Covid – 19”, he notes

 

Mordue also briefly highlighted on earlier discussions with the Governor regarding the recent financing agreement for the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Project (LVWATSAN) signed by President Kenyatta last week while in France.

 

The project he mentioned aims to improve access to Water and Sanitation in Kisumu and will include rehabilitation of the water treatment plant and bring fresh drinking water to 95% of Kisumu’s population and have more than 40% of the population connected to the sewerage system.

 

“I am looking forward to coming back early next year to witness the start of the works and the signing of the contracts.” he says.

 

Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathews Ochieng Owili while receiving the donation acknowledged the continuous support from the European Union and the Kenya Red Cross over time saying this particular donation will go a long way in protecting the frontline workers from the deadly effects of Covid – 19.

 

“This support will go a long way in helping the facility cope with the pressures presented by the Covid – 19 pandemic and help the frontline workers protect themselves and those of their families,”   Owili says.

 

He says the facility has so far screened more than 160,000 cases from March out of which 82 were confirmed positive and recorded 3 deaths with 79 recoveries in total. Currently the facility has 3 active cases with a capacity to isolate 137 people.

 

He urges county residents not to lower their guard as the country is not out of the woods yet.

 

“It is time for us to ensure that we obey and go and live our lives based on those regulations from the County and the National Government and in that way, we get to keep ourselves safe,” he further says.

 

Dr. Asha Mohammed, the General Secretary of the Kenya Red Cross Society on her part reiterated Dr. Owili’s sentiments cautioning Kenyan’s against complacency in the fight to stop the pandemic noting it would negate the gains realized over the last six months.

 

Some of the items received include surgical facemasks, filtering facial masks, hand sanitizers, water and body fluid plastic aprons, full body gowns, waste bags and liners, thermo scanners, heavy duty gloves, protective goggles among others.

 

The Team was joined by the County Health Management Team led by the Chief Officer of Health in Charge of Partnerships Alphonce Ouya, JOOTRH Chief Executive Officer Dr Peter Okoth, County Health Director Fred Oluoch and Members of the Hospital Board of Management.

 

ENDS: