Mass virus testing starts in Uasin Gishu public hospitals

Mass coronavirus testing for healthcare workers in Uasin Gishu public hospitals has started three days after four of their colleagues tested positive.

The affected workers, who were based at the maternity ward and the pharmacy of Uasin Gishu district hospital, have been quarantined. Contact tracing is ongoing.  

Panic and anxiety had gripped both the medical staff and patients.

On Tuesday, Uasin Gishu chapter chairman of Kenya Clinical Officers Association Isaac Tallam lauded the county government’s move to roll out mass testing for coronavirus among the region's public hospital staff.

This will inspire confidence among those seeking services in public health facilities unlike in the past when the hospitals were shunned for fear of contracting diseases, Tallam told reporters in Eldoret town.

“We are appealing to the county through the department of health to expedite the exercise so that normal operations in the more than 180 public hospitals can continue seamlessly,” he said.

Three days ago, all key services were disrupted after 138 Uasin Gishu district hospital medical staff stopped working on learning that four of them had tested positive for Covid-19. They said that nothing had been done to take the victims to isolation centres.

“It is unfortunate that the four who tested positive for Covid-19 are still walking free at the hospital compound instead of being taken for quarantine as part of the measures to  help stop the spread of the disease,” Tallam had said.

He said the affected maternity wing staff would compromise their safety as well as that of mothers and the unborn babies.

The paramedics had vowed to stay away until the safety of the healthcare providers and patients was addressed.

Beatrice Wamboi of the maternity ward said they attend to about 400 expectant women daily without personal protective equipment. On average, they handle four deliveries daily.

“Some of the pregnant women we attend to have low immune systems and this is risky during this time of Covid-19 pandemic,” Wamboi said.