Alfred Mutua says that Kenya might be affected positively by covid-19.
While addressing the press in Machakos County, on Tuesday, March 17, Mutua noted that it was imperative for leaders to fix the health system.
He claimed that right now in this situation we have all been forced to be equal because the disease doesn’t pick favourites. However, the rich have the option of going to private hospitals or even travelling abroad.
Here’s what he said:
The Coronavirus has equalized the rich and the poor in Kenya. It is a chance for us leaders to work on how to improve our health systems. It is no longer possible for anyone to travel abroad for treatment and this should be our wake up call to fix our health system, so that we can all get the best here, at home.
Positive aspect of this disease?
There is some positive aspect of this disease. It is a good thing because it teaches us a lesson. When our bosses fall ill, they leave for London, UK, the US or India. Where will they run to? It shouldn’t be that every time you are sick you are flown overseas. No one will accept you abroad. Instead of a politician fixing a pothole, they end up purchasing luxurious cars.
The governor also urged companies in his county not to shut down.
Covid-19 is a serious but not necessarily a killer disease as such. There is need to counter-balance the competing interest of protecting citizens against the spread of the disease with the reality of protecting citizens against it’s spread, with the reality of its devastating impact on our fragile economy and the socio-political ripple effects thereof.
He also set up disease surveillance and response teams, approved a Ksh100 million emergency kitty to prevent an outbreak and urged Machakos residents to maintain hygiene.
All public service vehicles, public and private offices and outlets are directed to provide handwashing facilities at bus parks, sanitize their vehicles, office seats, doors after every four hours.
He also added that County governments will remain open and will continue working.
So far, Kenya has confirmed four positive cases of coronavirus.
On Tuesday, March 17, President Uhuru Kenyatta declared a National Prayer Day, acknowledging that the world was facing a serious threat following the global outbreak.
Uhuru announced that the prayer day would be held on Saturday, March 21, 2020.