Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has been urged to reorganise his Cabinet and give Health CEC Rachel Kamau 'lighter duties'.
The recommendation is contained in a report by the county assembly's ad-hoc committee on Covid-19 preparedness.
The team singled out the Health department as the weakest link in the war against the coronavirus. Speaker John Kaguchia was the chairman of the seven-member committee
The committee recommended that Kamau be moved to another docket and that the Health post be given to an individual who is passionate about healthcare and willing to engage with other like-minded county leaders.
“Noting that the leadership of the department is one of the weakest links in the fight against Covid-19, the governor should consider reorganising his county executive committee and allocate lighter duties to the current CEC in charge of Health Services,” the report said.
The committee’s decision was informed by the CEC's failure to honour its summons.
The team had on July 24 written to the CEC inviting her and her team to a meeting on July 29 to shed light on the measures taken by the department in the fight against Covid-19. She did not attend or send an apology.
Only Health chief officer Newton Wahome and director of health services Nelson Muriu honoured the invitation.
The committee further expressed concerns that the county was ill-prepared to handle critical Covid-19 patients.
“It was brought to the attention of the departmental officers that there was not a single facility in the county that could issue critical care to a Covid-19 patient in need of respiratory assistance,” the report indicated.
The team was set up on July 22 to ascertain the status of Covid-19 preparedness in level 4 and level 5 hospitals.
It was to report and make recommendations to the assembly on its findings and any other Covid-19 related matter. The team had three months to complete the task.
Edited by A.N