Kisumu Unveils Toll-Free Emergency Operation Call Centre
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- April 7, 2021
Kisumu Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili yesterday presided over the official opening of the Kisumu County Emergency Operation Centre at the Kisumu County Referral Hospital.
The 24 – hour toll-free call centre is a new development coming barely a year after the County Government launched the Covid -19 Call Centre to report and raise concerns related to the pandemic by the general public. Being the only Covid-19 call centre outside Nairobi, the centre received all kinds of requests and information outside its scope. This informed the decision to develop a one-stop comprehensive surveillance centre with a wider reach to cater for the various needs of Kisumu residents.
With the new centre in operation, members of the public under the toll- free number 0800 720 575 can now report or seek information on all health-related issues within Kisumu County ranging from medical, ambulatory services or public health emergencies and disasters.
A total of 21 ambulances spread across the County are linked to the facility with six ambulances directly managed by the team.
The centre is manned by qualified staff in different categories led by a center manager, fleet manager, referral coordinator, 4 nurses and 5 emergency medical technicians.
Since its inception, the centre has received and successfully completed over 21,328 calls with a daily average of 50 calls per day. On pre-natal care alone, a total of 781 mothers made calls to the facility with 584 of them receiving the much-needed support.
The Governor in his message delivered by his Deputy Dr. Owili said the Covid -19 pandemic is on a furious phase killing more people than ever before. He appealed to the media fraternity to help spread the message to members of the public who have more often disregarded the laid down protocols adding that the rising number of cases in Kisumu is worrying.
On the Covid situation within Kisumu, the Deputy County boss reported that the County has since recorded a total of 2,606 cumulative positive cases from a total of 28,705 tests carried out. 99 of these were diagnosed just last week alone with more than 2,000 cases being attributed to community transmissions. He noted with dismay, the I don’t care attitude displayed by members of the public who continue to disobey protocols put in place to help curb the spread of the disease.
“To defeat the mysterious virus, we at the County Multi-Agency Committee wish to remind members of the public about the protocols, which we will continue to enforce with vigour”. He said.
To curb new transmissions, the County has issued fresh new protocols to be observed by members of the public. All morgues have been directed not to preserve dead bodies for a period exceeding 48 hours and no bodied should be released after 10 am.
The county has also banned night vigils and catering services at funerals with places of worship being directed to admit only a third of their capacities for services. Bars and hotels will operate only up to 9 pm with those extending having to bear with the cancellation of their licenses.
On the Covid -19 vaccine, Dr. Owili expressed that the county has increased vaccination centres to 34 spread across all the 7 Sub Counties. He mentioned that the county has vaccinated 10, 670 front line workers and intends to vaccinate at least 70,000 residents. Pre-registration for teachers, policemen, other uniformed officers and those aged above 58 years is currently underway through community health volunteers and google link.
