Donors Support Delivery of UV Machines to Eldoret
Two UV machines used to sanitize N-95 masks arrived at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in August. Funded by AMPATH supporters, the machines allow for the reuse of a key piece of personal protective equipment (PPE) and help extend the supply during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Wilson Aruasa, CEO of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, receives one of the UV machines.
MTRH CEO Dr. Wilson Aruasa received the machines with thanks for those who helped make the delivery possible. Dr. Aruasa was grateful for the support, adding that the UV machine will form an integral part of the ongoing COVID-19 mitigation procedures at the hospital.
As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the declining consistent availability of disposable masks, there is a growing need to sterilize the N95 rated masks in use at the hospital to ensure safe and prolonged use while improving staff workplace safety and reducing occupational hazards during and after the pandemic.
Hospitals across the U.S. and other countries have relied on similar machines to meet the demand for N-95 masks as supplies became limited during the ongoing pandemic. The machines at MTRH will initially be located in the Majaliwa Theater and Rafiki Isolation Center.
The shipment also included 22 replacement bulbs to extend the longevity of the machines. An earlier shipment from AMPATH donors included nasal swabs for testing and pulse oximeters for monitoring clinical progression.
All counties in Kenya have now reported cases of COVID-19. As of September 3rd , 34,705 cases have been confirmed in the country and 585 people have died as a result of the virus. However, 20,644 people have reportedly recovered. In mid-August the overall case fatality rate was reported by the Kenya Ministry of Health as 1.6 percent.
In August, the Ministry of Health also reported that 768 children (under the age of 10) have tested positive for COVID-19 and four have died.
In an address to the nation on Wednesday, August 26, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the positivity rate had dropped from 13 percent in June to about 8 percent in August. “This is very encouraging and it means that, if we keep our civic responsibility high, we have a chance to reach the five percent positivity rate recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for total re-opening,” said President Kenyatta. He also called for the expansion of the health system architecture within the counties as the coronavirus spreads into counties and rural areas.
The dusk-to-dawn curfew was extended for an additional 30 days as was the closure of bars and nightclubs. Opening hours for hotels and restaurants were expanded by one hour and the number of people allowed to attend funerals and weddings was increased to 100 with Ministry of Health guidelines enforced.
President Kenyatta called for the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Chairperson of the Council of Governors to form a National Reference Group on COVID-19 to review Kenya’s response so far and formulate recommendations for improvement as well as establish a Kenya COVID Vaccine Consortium of local and international stakeholders to focus on development and testing of a vaccine.
President Kenyatta urged vigilance and civic responsibility in the continuing battle against the pandemic.