Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 991359,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/991359/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 205,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "The second one, Hon. Speaker, was a request for statement on the measures undertaken by the Government in Malaba Border on the management of the spread of Coronavirus. The first question was: What measures have the Government taken to ensure that the long trailer queues along the Malaba-Nairobi Highway near Malaba Town and the immediate surroundings are fumigated? The Ministry of Health (MoH) has provided pumps and disinfectants to the Malaba Port Health Office to undertake the fumigation of trucks as a standard procedure where trucks are deemed to have been in contact with the infectious agents. In the wake of the outbreak of the Coronavirus, port health officers have been instructed to be more vigilant in order to detect drivers or turnboys who may have features of Coronavirus, including screening for fever, cough or related chest symptoms in line with protocols that have been developed for the control of COVID-19 at ground crossing and along transport corridors. Should a truck operator show suspicious signs of Coronavirus - besides the collection of samples for testing from the crew - the trucks are fumigated before being allowed to proceed to their destination. The second question was: What measures have been undertaken by the Government to reduce the risk truck drivers and turnboys pose to people in Malaba Town Border and the surrounding areas? The response is that the Government is fully aware of the risks posed by the trucks build-up at the border. Indeed, the East African Community (EAC) ministers of health and trade, in the last two weeks, have held a series of consultative meetings between Kenya and Uganda ministries of health and trade to address the build-up of trucks at the border that have been occasioned by Ugandan authorities instituting testing for Coronavirus at the border. This build-up has since been reduced through the Ugandan authorities, increasing the number of health care workers undertaking the testing and reducing the number of personnel per truck; requiring testing to a maximum of two drivers per truck. This has ensured fast clearance of trucks to avoid unnecessary backlog. In addition, Hon. Speaker, the Ministry of Health has finalized protocols that will ensure that all truck drivers operating within the transport corridors undergo testing for COVID-19 before the commencement of their journey within the country. Facilities have been identified in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kajiado, Eldoret and other regions so that, by the time the truckers are starting their journey to Malaba and beyond, they already have their COVID-19 negative attestation letters. Malaba One-Stop Border Point will also be a specimen collection centre whereby the trucker’s specimens are taken for analysis. If a trucker turns positive, he or she is transferred to an isolation facility and contacts are traced. Moreover, working together with the county health department, the ports health officers have also enhanced surveillance and screening of truck drivers and turnboys for signs of Covid-19 and referral to the county rapid response team for appropriate action. Additionally, the National Police Service (NPS) has enhanced surveillance to ensure that there is no mingling with the community by ensuring that the drivers do not alight from the trucks outside the Malaba Border. At the border point, the NPS ensures that there is minimal interaction The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}