Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has assured parents in Kakamega who have students studying in China that their children are safe. The Governor noted that the 38 students who are studying at Shanghai University are so far doing well and have not been affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Governor Oparanya revealed that he was worried about their well being when Covid-19 started but he has been assured that they have not been affected by the virus. The Governor also assured that the students have not been affected by the recent racial attacks against Africans in China as reported by a section of the media. The County government sponsors needy and bright students from Kakamega County to study in the China based university following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Kakamega County Government and Shanghai University.
He was speaking during a courtesy visit by Prof. Solomon Shibairo, the new Ag. Vice Chancellor of Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST), at the County headquarters. “We are also in the process of acquiring ventilators as we fight this virus and the County Response Team is working around the clock to ensure we are well prepared,” he said, in the meeting that was also attended by the Kakamega CECM for Health services Rachel Okumu and MMUST senior management officials.
The Governor affirmed that once Kakamega County Referral Hospital is ready, it will partner with MMUST Medical School for training and response to specialized medical services. The MMUST VC Prof Shibairo highlighted some of the progress the institution has made in the fight against Covid-19 including manufacture of locally made hand sanitizers and soap. “We are producing soap and sanitizers for local use and we ask for collaboration from the County government in this battle,” he said adding that the institution will provide personnel and expertise knowledge to the County government in the fight against Coronavirus.
The institute is also offering online mapping of people in the County and training more health workers, community volunteers and the community at large in the fight against Covid-19 pandemic and has also been identified as a quarantine and isolation facility.