LREB Governors ask National Govt to allow them buy Covid-19 rapid test kits
By Dickson Odhiambo
June 22, 2021
LREB Governors ask
National Govt to allow them buy Covid-19 rapid test kits
Governors in the 13 Counties under the Lake Region Economic
Bloc {LREB} now wants the National Government to allow them purchase from a
broad Rapid Testing kits for Corona Virus.
The Governors say it is true that the National Government
can’t be able to test a bigger population as far as the issue of the spread of
Corona virus is concerned.
Addressing the Press in Kisumu today in Kisumu only a few
days after the 13 counties were placed under curfew from 7:00 pm to 4:00am from
last Friday, the Governors James Ongwae of Kisii and his Kisumu County
Counterpart who were led by LREB Chairman Wickliffe Oparanya said it would be
good if the National Government fully cooperate and work with them on the issue
of allowing them to make purchase of the rapid testing kits from abroad.
They say they have consulted as the Governors from the Lake
Region Economic Bloc that they are capable of setting some funds aside to
purchase the kits.
Kisumu Governor Pro Peter Anyang Nyong’o says this is very
much possible but with permission from the National Government.
“We can get rapid test kits from South Korea and we can set
some money for this if the national government can give us permission. We are
prepared to do this as counties,” Governor Nyong’o says
Nyongo says they are going to present this to the Ministry
of health to see what their response will be.
On Vaccination, Nyong’o says that it will work well to help
in curbing the spread of Covid-19, adding that the National Government should
also allow the counties to purchase vaccine.
On the issue of having more oxygen in the health facilities
in the counties, the Governors have said that they are working on ways to improve
the Oxygen capacities in the health facilities to help meet the required amount
of oxygen by patient suffering from Corona Virus.
On the issue of closing of schools again due to be super
spreader areas, it is not good to do this and what is important is to observe
strictly the laid down protocols on Corona Virus from the Ministry of Health.
Kisii Governor James Ongwae who is also the Vice Chair of
the Council of Governors says it is no longer the issue of waiting for the
government to do something to the people, adding that the public should
strictly adhere to the laid down protocols.
Ongwae says it is high time the ministry of health to allow
for rapid testing for the virus, adding that the capacity by the national
Government to do the rapid testing to all Kenyans does not exist at the moment.
“The rapid test will be a first step to identify that one
has the virus and will start the initial treatment even before a confirmation
is done through a substantive test either through Kemri Kisumu or other areas,”
Ongwae says
Governor Ongwae says there is a lot of worries that even the
protocols about the rapid tests has never been provided by the Ministry of
Health, adding that the issue of rapid testing is shrouded in mystery.
“I think the stage has reached where the Counties are
allowed to buy the rapid tests. What needs to be done is for the Ministry of
Health to have proper protocols on this,” Ongwae adds
LREB Chairman who is also the Kakamega Governor Wickliffe
Oparanya says the Committee of Eminent Persons within the Bloc has managed to
give the Governors good statistics on the possibility of being a hotspot on the
issue of Covid-19 disease and this has come to pass.
ENDS:
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