The Kenya Medical Pharmacists and Dentists Council (KMPDC) has allayed fears of a health crisis as targeted bed capacity for COVID-19 patients in the country is below per.
KMPDC CEO Daniel Yumbya said that a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta for 300-bed capacity in county hospitals is yet to be met.
So far, there are only 18,443 isolation beds in the whole country against the projected total of 30,500 beds.
This comes as fears of a second wave continue given the steep rise in the number of daily infection.
Of the total 18,443 isolation beds, there are only 443 beds for the ICU which is not enough.
The Ministry of Health recommends that there be a minimum of 1000 beds for the ICU.
The worst part of the looming second COVID-19 wave in Kenya is that there will be no enough quarantine facilities.
Most of the facilities used in the first wave have been shut down as the schools reopen. This leaves the government with a major headache.
It has now forced the government to engage several hotels seeking to have then as quarantine centres.
“The second wave is with us yet we are doing badly as a country,” Health acting Director-General Patrick Amoth said.
He warned that: “Most people are not adhering to the measures. Perhaps we will get serious the moment we will see people dropping dead on the streets.”
