By Kipturgut Enock
Kenya Women Teachers Association (Kewota) has supported the government’s move to convert some secondary Schools into Covid19 disease isolation centres.
Kewota Chief Executive Officer Benta Opande said their proximity and infrastructure makes schools the most ideal places to handle Corona virus patients should hospitals be overwhelmed.
“Schools are everywhere across the country and therefore easily accessible not to mention facilities they have for catering and ablution blocks,” said Opande.
She cautioned that ordinary folk can’t afford to be quarantined in expensive hotels and private hospitals at their cost during isolation period.
“Schools are government institutions and hence all Kenyans have a right to use their infrastructure, as long as it doesn’t endanger people’s lives,” she observed
Opande said unlike in stadiums, it is easy to quarantine the victims in rooms hence maintaining social distance.
“We urge government to ensure that there is sufficient running water in the Institutions, masks and sanitizers before victims are moved into quarantine,” she explained.
She added that the government should also provide standby ambulances and nurses in each institution to handle emergency cases and referrals.
Kewota also asked the government to release relief food for thousands of hungry learners who are with their parents at home during this time of Covid19 pandemic isolation.
Joseph Katangazan, a village elder and resident of Ayatya village in Barwesa ward, Baringo North Sub-county said over 30 households in the region are facing serious food shortage.
“We are in a bad state because vehicles that supply us maize and beans to purchase are no longer coming due to the fear of COVID-19,” said Katangazan.
Areas marked to be food deficient are the entire Barwesa, Bartabwa Ward, Saimo/Kipsaraman, Saimo-Soi, Marigat, Ilchamus Wards and the entire Mogotio and Tiaty sub counties.
Baringo County Governments has allocated Sh2 million in its supplementary budget for the purchase of masks, sanitizers and assorted food stuff.
“My administration has also set a side Sh70 million out of the total kitty for the purchase of food stuff for the vulnerable,” assured the area Governor Stanley Kiptis.
