Uhuru issues five orders regarding coronavirus

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday issued five orders regarding how Kenya intends to tackle coronavirus.

Through an Executive Order, the President acknowledged that the COVID-19 is a matter of international concern and deemed it prudent to establish a framework to coordinate the country’s preparedness in tackling the virus.

The Head of State issued the following orders:

• That the national isolation and treatment facility at Mbagathi Hospital be completed and ready to receive patients within seven days from the date hereof.
• That the identification and preparation of isolation and treatment facilities in Level V and Referral Hospitals across the country be concluded by March 15, 2020.
• That the National Emergency Response Committee on Coronavirus is hereby established.
• That the Cabinet’s Ad-hoc Committee on Health and the Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on Government Response to the Coronavirus Outbreak are hereby subsumed into the National Emergency Response Committee and stand dissolved.
• That the new committee shall be constituted as follows:

Chairperson

Cabinet Secretary for Health

Members

CS Foreign Affairs

CS Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works

CS Defence

CS ICT

Chairperson Health Committee, Council of Governors

PS Interior and Citizen Services

Chief of Staff, Office of the President

PAS, Office of the President

PS Health

PS National Treasury

PS Foreign Affairs

PS Transport

PS Telecommunications and Broadcasting

Director-General, Medical Services

Director-General, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority

Director-General, Kenya Airports Authority

Director, Immigration

Director of Medical Services, Kenya Defence Forces

Government Spokesperson

Secretariat

Director of Public Health

The team will be tasked with:

• Coordinating Kenya’s preparedness, prevention and response to the threat of Coronavirus
• Coordinate capacity building of medical personnel and other professionals to enable the country respond quickly to any suspected cases
• Enhance surveillance at all Ports/Points of Entry in Kenya
• Coordinate the preparation of national, county and private isolation and treatment facilities
• Coordinate the supply of testing kits, medical supplies and other protective gear within the public
• Conduct Economic Impact Assessments and develop mitigation strategies with regard to the disease
• Coordination of both local and international, financial and human resource assistance efforts with development partners and key stakeholders
• Formulating, enforcing and reviewing of processes and requirements that regulate the entry into Kenya of any persons or class of persons suspected to have travelled from a coronavirus affected area
• Conduct any other matter ancillary to or in furtherance of any of the foregoing terms of reference
• The committee may co-opt any other persons as may be required to assist it in the discharge of its functions