COVID-19: Govt called upon to formulate child-targeted interventions – KBC

Child fund Kenya has called on the Government to formulate child-targeted interventions on COVID-19. 

Child fund Country Director Chege Ngugi said there is a need for the government to design and implement a National Psychosocial support programmes for children during and after this pandemic period.

He said that the current intervention measures announced by the government have not specifically addressed the myriad needs of children who are the biggest victims of the pandemic.

Ngugi said the Ministry of Health should develop guidelines on how mass testing for COVID-19 should be undertaken for children.

He also said that quarantine facilities across the country are not child friendly, saying more needs to be done to alleviate children suffering.

He called on the ministry of education to get views from children ahead of the planned gradual reopening of schools in September.

Ngugi at the same time said the organization had recorded increased cases of physical and sexual abuses on children, early marriages, and FGM, among others.

On increased cases of children in conflict with the law, Ngugi called for the urgent enactment of the children bill 2019, which proposes raising the age for criminal responsibility from 8 to 12 years, among other recommendations.

Child fund has already set aside Ksh 800 million this financial year for COVID-19 response.

Other interventions already undertaken by child fund include the provision of cash transfers totalling to Ksh12,681,600 to 5,207 vulnerable households, hand washing stations, assorted essential medical supplies, awareness creation and sensitization campaign on COVID-19 pandemic, among others.