There is an urgent need to acquire medical kits to conduct mass testing to enable Ministry of Health establish the real situation of the novel Covid-19 in Vihiga County.
“Lack of testing kits for conducting mass testing of the coronavirus is one of greatest challenges faced by health professionals in Vihiga County,” noted Sabatia Member of Parliament (MP) Mr. Alfred Agoi told the Press in Mbale Wednesday.
With confirmed figures of Kenyans who have tested positive soaring daily as reported by the Ministry of Health, Agoi regretted Vihiga County was yet to conduct mass testing for the deadly since it was declared a national disaster.
According to the MP, unless proper medical tests were randomly conducted, ascertaining whether or not the county was free of the virus was not possible.
With the county yet to record any case of Covid-19 on the ground, Agoi, however, cautioned against depending on body temperature screening results, saying the same had failed in some parts of the country as well as outside.
“We have heard of incidents in which people whose body temperatures had been recorded as being within set standards had turned positive upon going through actual testing for Covid-19,” the MP noted.
The legislator urged Vihiga County Covid-19 Emergency Response Committee (VICEREC) to network with the national government and stakeholders to enable the county secure enough Covid-19 testing kits for mass testing, “lest we are sitting on a time bomb.”
“As elected leaders, both for national and county government, we have unanimously resolved to join and strengthen the county emergency response team in order to curb spread of the virus in the County,” disclosed Agoi.
The MP encouraged the locals to remain vigilant by taking daily account of all visitors entering the county as well as respecting the ongoing dusk to dawn curfew.
He further urged them to continue complying with the Ministry of Health directives, including wearing face mask and maintaining social distancing while in public places, washing hands using soap detergents and running water or using hand sanitizers.
