State yet to give out Jack Ma kits
What you need to know:
- Although the cargo that arrived at JKIA on March 24 had 12 positive airway pressure (PAP) kits, none were distributed.
- Out of 81 infrared thermometers, only 24 have been distributed.
The government is yet to distribute some of medical supplies donated by Chinese tycoon Jack Ma to help tackle Covid-19, even as it emerged that a private facility received part of the donation.
Although the cargo that arrived at JKIA on March 24 had 12 positive airway pressure (PAP) kits, none were distributed, according to an official document. PAP is a mode of respiratory ventilation to assist a patient with breathing difficulties.
And out of 81 infrared thermometers, only 24 have been distributed, according to the document by the Ministry of health titled ‘Jack Ma Allocation May 2020’.
Amref Laboratory is the only non-governmental lab that received part of the supplies that arrived into the country from Addis Ababa aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight.
The document dated March 25 shows Amref Lab received 384 detection kits and 3000 extraction swabs. Additionally, it got 3,984 surgical masks and 189 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
Yesterday, Amref boss Githinji Gitahi said they have received over 1,000 kits in several batches which they are still using.
“We received the kits because we are an approved lab to test for government. The samples we have tested comes from Kemri,” Dr Gitahi explained.
Other laboratories such as the Kemri molecular lab for biology in Nairobi and Alupe got 2,304 detection kits and 2,304 extraction kits for manual kits yet both labs are fully automated.
Other automated labs in the list didn’t get any supplies as they could not use manual kits.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has announced that it is investigating two separate theft reports relating to the Covid-19 equipment donated in March.
