Nakuru nurses plead for more PPEs, hospital beds as COVID cases soar

Nakuru nurses have appealed to the National and County governments to equip them with enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

The nurses at Nakuru Level Five Hospital also lamented over frustrations of non-seclusion of COVID-19.

“We are requesting the Governor to increase the bed capacity of COVID patients so that they are not mixed with patients in the medical ward. Our bed capacity at the moment is 28. That is very little and with this second wave there are very many positive patients. Because of the rising numbers we are requesting that fumigation be done between today (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday) so that we don’t add any more positive health workers,” said Caroline Adwera, Treasurer of Kenya Progressive Nurses Association.

According to her, COVID-19 patients are mixed with those suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other comorbidities.

She added that maternity patients with COVID-19 have also been forced to share facilities at the hospital and staff lack adequate training on how to manage patients who test positive.

Ms. Adwera noted that so far 22 health care workers have tested positive for coronavirus.

“They are only called and given drugs. The contact tracing is not done so those who have not turned positive are still working in the wards and are being told to continue working until they are tested positive,” she added.

According to the Daily Nation, Nakuru County recorded an increase in COVID-19 cases at the beginning of October with the infection rate doubling in 10 days.

The local newspaper said at least 11 patients were admitted to the ICU at the time, mainly at Nakuru Level Five Hospital.

Governor Lee Kinyanjui warned that the trend of rising COVID-19 cases was likely to get worse following the lifting of containment measures.