Kenya has Friday morning received a consignment of medical supplies from China that was flown to the country by a Kenya Airways 787 Dreamliner.
The medical supplies received by Health Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Mutahi Kagwe; Interior Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred Matiang’i and Transport Cabinet Secretary, James Macharia are a boost to the country’s efforts to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
Key highlights of the consignment received are 500,000 three-ply masks; 200,000 testing and sampling tubes which are key to Kenya’s ability to mass-test the public; 4,000 shoe covers which will be used by frontline health workers; 300 static shoes (used in theatres); 76,000 – N95 masks and face Visors
CS Matiang’i said the government is stepping up preparations in the event of more challenges and that they doing everything to enforce the curfew and the guidelines given by the Ministry of Health and will step up to ensure that they keep people safe.
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“Our plan with the county Government is working; County Governments working with County Commissioners have been asked to put aside isolation centres in the event that we need them. I now can confirm that we have been advised by our colleagues in the Ministry of Trade that we will have enough face masks in the country.” He said.
On his part, CS Macharia said: “We have come to witness and confirm the arrival of this 787 which has been carrying medical supplies from China. I would like to say that Kenya Airways is ready in terms of any evacuations required to make sure that we provide that facilitation.”
CS Kagwe noted that Kenya was getting desperate for some of the items delivered.
” We are glad to see that the corporation across all Government agencies is what is going to help us in winning this war against this deadly pandemic. We are really grateful that Kenya Airways has been able come on board and assist us to the extent that they have. We have developed protocols with them on how to travel and quarantine ourselves as crew so we are happy about what is happening.”
“As we stand right now, at this hour, we have already tested about 450 samples out of this, we have already got 12 positive cases and we have not finished the day. What this tells you is that we need to really start the testing capacity so that the contacts of those people who are positive can also be tested and therefore we can be able to contain the pandemic.” He added.