Kiambu county has received Sh30million from the Kenya Devolution Support Programme to help boost the health department in preparedness to fight Covid-19.
Speaking in the county on Friday, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa said funding of the World Bank has already released Sh 1.4 billion for KDSP in all 47 counties.
He was accompanied on a tour of Tigoni and Wangige Level 4 hospitals accompanied by Governor James Nyoro and Kakamega's Wycliffe Oparanya.
The funds are performance-based grants from the central government to counties. It supports capacity building and technical assistance at the county level.
Wamalwa said that the second phase of Sh4.6 billion has also been received which will be shared among 38 counties that satisfied World Bank conditions.
Kiambu is one of them.
Wamalwa urged the counties that did not meet the threshold due to the health crisis to prepare well.
“There is a push and many Kenyans are waiting to have our economy reopen and if this is going to happen, then counties have to be better prepared. The President said every county has to have a 300-bed isolation capacity in hospitals."
Oparanya said Kiambu is among 15 counties that have reached the threshold.
Nyoro said Kiambu has 525 beds and is looking forward to reaching 1,000 beds.
“Tigoni hospital which we have set up as a Covid-19 facility currently has 10 patients admitted with Covid-19, from next week we will put up a pre-engineered building through support of stakeholders through Kiambu appeal fund and have an additional 100 beds and another one in Ruiru to carry 150 beds," the governor said.
Nyoro said the county is ready to open up for the economy once the President announces it and has put up other guidelines of coping with the situation in other sectors.
Edited by R.Wamochie