Coronavirus: Overzealous Kagwe to screen everything entering Kenya
March 6, 2020
3 Min Read
The newly appointed Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has announced that the ministry is prepared to do compulsory screening at all entry points to keep Kenya free from coronavirus.
Kagwe spoke during the launch of an isolation centre at Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi on Friday where he said that no one will be allowed entry into the country flying or walking without being screened at all border points.
“We are screening everyone at the border points. No one is going to come into our country without being screened in all our borders including those who will be walking on foot,” Kagwe said.
He also added that his ministry has set base in all airports and entry points, Namanga and Busia border points included. This he emphasized was to ensure that everyone is screened.
The ministry is working with official from neighboring countries in the region to ensure vigilance. The state has trained more than 1000 medics and employed in facilities as Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in preparation for a possible outbreak.
Health CS Kagwe addressing the press on country’s preparedness [p/courtesy]
Kagwe said the state has also procured requisite equipment for the workers as a safety measure for the medics who will be handling the victims in case of a breakout. The government is working with Red Cross, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US CDC to monitor the situation of the deadly virus.
All conferences of international nature have been banned in the country for the next one month to reduce chances of the virus finding its way in Kenya.
“There will be no one travelling to Kenya for a conference of more than 15 peoples in the next 30 days.”
Kagwe also stated that Kenyans are equally not allowed to attend such confrences in the said period of time.
The ban extends to the Kenya Open that was to be hosted in Nairobi’s Karen Golf Course that has been postponed for 30 days as the situation is monitored.
The 21-member committee is said to be cascading their work downwards to other sectors to speed up efforts to create awareness among Kenyans on hygiene.
That exercise is expected to engage matatu and Boda boda operators through Ministry of Transport to improve hygiene as from next week.
The state in connection with Safaricom PLC has already launched a free SMS service to educate Kenyans about the disease and the general hygiene.
About Italy ban, the minister said that the government will allow an empty aircraft from Italy to come and pick Italy nationals who are still stranded in the country after Kenya banned flights from and to Italy last week.
