The national government and County governments have agreed to work towards the attainment of 30,500 isolation beds within a month to boost the capacity to tackle the Covid-19 and its effects. This was agreed during the third extra-ordinary session of the national and County governments co-ordination summit at State House on Wednesday, which was led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, attended by Deputy President William Ruto, County Governors and other government officials including Health CS Mutahi Kagwe. A target of at least 300 isolation beds per County for Covid-19 patients has been set and President Kenyatta said the pandemic is a chance for healthcare to be improved countrywide.
He said if its tackled from the County level up to the national government Kenya won’t fail, “When this summit sits, its only business in Kenya. No party affiliations; no political distancing; and no ethnic divisionism. The summit becomes the soul of Kenya,” he said, “That is why the pronouncements of this gathering, whenever we meet, become articles of our faith in ‘Project Kenya’.”
The summit agreed to involve the Council of Governors in the education stakeholders discussions led by Education CS Prof. George Magoha which will lead to the issuance of the new school calendar ahead of schools’ reopening in September. They’ll also be involved in the ongoing consultations with the inter-faith council towards the reopening of worship places.
Health CS Mutahi Kagwe said cooperation is key as Kenya grapples with the Coronavirus and lauded the Governors for working closely with the Health Ministry. “The Ministry of Health will continue to work very closely with County governments so as to ensure we have win-win outcomes in every part of the country,” he said. The summit has also resolved to meet next week on Wednesday to review guidelines for the gradual reopening of the economy, containment measures currently in place and protocols for the progressive re-opening of places of worship