Medics want state to prioritise vaccination and health workers safety

George Kebaso @Morarak

Medical doctors have raised concern over the inadequate capacity to handle critical situations such as  the rising  deaths from fourth wave of  Covid-19.

The doctors said health facilities across the country are not prepared, with poor Kenyans left at the mercy of private health facilities that are charging exorbitant fees for the Intensive Care Unit(ICU).

While calling on the government to ensure as many people as possible are vaccinated, the doctors cautioned Kenyans against lowering guard against Coronavirus,  especially at a time when the highly transmissible delta variant is sweeping across the country.

The Kenya Medical Association (KMA) and Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) weighed in on the current situation where the average positivity rate has been around 11 per cent for the past two weeks.

“KMA urges the Ministry of Health to accelerate the acquisition and deployment of vaccines in the country.

These vaccines should be issued to as many health facilities as possible; public, private, and faith-based, to ensure increased access by the public,” Association President Dr Were Onyino  said as the country recorded 591 new Corona positive cases yesterday from a sample size of 4, 737 tested in the last 24 hours. 

Onyino (pictured) urged  the government to protect and prioritise the wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers in the fight against the virus.

Adequate protective gear

In a statement, Onyino urged the Ministry of Health to ensure that doctors and other healthcare workers have access to adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), access to vaccines, and psychological support.

KMPDU Secretary General Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah  said the actual ICU beds in the country are limited.

“In Nairobi, the only available ICUs are those at Kenyatta University Teaching Referral & Research Hospital, which stands at 35 and Kenyatta National Hospital’s 55, and now with the wave that has been coming almost all counties are not prepared despite a presidential directive last year, to have isolation facilities in readiness for Covid-19 emergencies,” he said. 

Yesterday, Health Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe announced that the country had lost 24 people to the disease in 24 hours pushing the total case fatality to 3, 970 people.

And in Nakuru, Governor Lee Kinyanjui admitted that the county has witnessed a high number of deaths over the last few days as a result of Covid-19.