Nandi County allocates Sh181 million to fight Covid-19.

Nandi County has allocated Sh181 million to help in the fight against Covid-19.

During an emergency sitting, the county assembly passed a supplementary budget allocating the funds to the county health department.

The budget passed by 17 ward representatives and allocated to the County Emergency Fund (CEF) will enable the county to enhance medical health system in the county in preparation for any case of Covid-19.

The CEF Kitty was instituted by the county assembly as an avenue to source funds from donors and well-wishers.

So far, the county has not reported any case of the viral infections but measures are being put in place in readiness.

County speaker Joshua Kiptoo said part of the funds will be used to institute an oversight team to monitor county preparedness at the ward levels and ensure accurate information is availed to the locals on preventive measures.

“Apart from the County Emergency Committee, the county assembly also formed a parallel committee to oversight food and water distribution in populated areas of Kapsabet and Nandi Hills towns as well as Mosoriot centre among others,” said Mr Kiptoo.

Health County Executive Committee Member Ruth Koech while briefing the assembly on the status of the county health, said the county bhad not meet the required medical capacity to handle the pandemic due to financial constraints.

She said there was a need to set up Intensive Care Units (ICU) and install sophisticated machines at level four and five hospitals in the county.

“We need approximately Sh22 million to equip isolation centres and health centres that have been identified as places to handle Covid-19 in the county,” she said.

She also revealed that 69 persons had been advised to self isolate at their homes even as she insisted there was no case of infection at the county so far.