When the coronavirus leapt beyond China, into the rest of Asia, Europe, and North America, it sounded too distant for us. Life could go on as if all was well for us. Alas, the dreaded virus soon arrived home. And in panic, we all scampered for safety and left the Ministry of Health to figure out what could be done to ward off the threat from the invisible enemy.
How we have dealt with it should provide us with a template of how to address emerging threats now and in the future. With at least 380 cases, 14 deaths, and 129 recoveries, Kenya is largely unscathed by the virus and I believe normalcy will return sooner and quickly than in other places.
Despite the short window, we have learned from mistakes made by European countries at the beginning of the outbreak- and the tough lessons from Singapore and China which kept the virus at bay for some time before a resurgence. After the initial phase of actions successfully responded to our first cases, the government is now introducing a new set of policies. Such a comprehensive approach will prove capable of addressing issues related to the pandemic for months to come.
With foresight and careful timing, preparations for the outbreak in Kenya began before our country registered a single case. The first isolation and treatment centre was built in a record one week at Mbagathi District Hospital. At the same time, dozens of similar wards were set up across the country. While many of our citizens felt that this initial response came late, delaying it likely prevented the economic shock that numerous countries experienced as they closed their borders prematurely.
Late preparation, for example, was one of the primary reasons the outbreak hit Italy so hard. When the country recorded the first surge in the virus in its northern region, the government still believed that the outbreak could be contained. As only a few towns and smaller villages were placed under lockdown, Italians continued to travel and mingle. As a direct result of the lack of strong actions, combined with bad timing, coronavirus ended up spreading to many parts of Italy as well as to all neighbouring countries.
The isolation and treatment centres in Nairobi and other counties will prove vital in the final analysis. By the end of March, Kenya had registered less than 30 cases, as well as several people who had already recovered from the illness. The experience of these first few weeks demonstrated just how effective our early response was in preventing, or at least slowing, a rapid escalation.
We are turning attention to longer-term preparations. Having announced a mandatory curfew, and with only a relatively small number of cases, such measures will likely lead to the slowing down of the outbreak in the coming weeks. Despite the best intentions, however, examples from numerous countries suggest that a surge can still be expected. The government should therefore act to preempt such.
To guarantee the steady supply of medical personnel, Sh1 billion was set aside for the recruitment of doctors, nurses, clinical officers, and lab technicians. Furthermore, the government has already negotiated agreements with home-based companies to adapt their production lines to the current state of emergency and start manufacturing masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment here in Kenya. This is an especially notable move.
And it is not just being ready on the medical front. Continuous access to food and other supplies and the security of jobs, even if our country is hard-hit by the pandemic in a worst-case scenario ought to be worked out and assured.
The decision to purchase extra stocks of staple foodstuffs will ensure that our supermarkets and stores will continue to be stocked and prices do not spiral out of control. Tax incentives have been extended to businesses and corporates to protect jobs.
These measures aim to place Kenya in a proactive, as opposed to a reactive position. With such a comprehensive strategy and a relatively early timeline of action, there is no doubt that we are in the best possible position to counter whatever comes our way.
Plans to reopen restaurants are an indicator that the government is planning to relax some of the rules to allow people to resume their normal lives and go back to work. However, the corona pandemic has taught us to be ready for anything, anytime, anywhere. We should not drop the guard.
Mr Guleid is the CEO, FCDC Secretariat and former Deputy Governor of Isiolo County
