The nationwide mass testing campaign launched by Kenya’s Health Ministry has so far been a failure, Dr. Rashid Aman, Kenya’s chief administrative secretary for health said.
Noting that the free targeted mass testing is to help the country to flatten the infections curve, the CAS called on Kenyans to willingly come forward and be tested for the coronavirus.
On Sunday, the CAS said the Ministry had in the last two days tested 803 against a target of 2000 in Kawangware, and 494 in Eastleigh against a target of 3000.
The two low-income residential areas have been identified as hotspots having reported the highest number of coronavirus cases in Nairobi County.
“The outcome of the testing exercise so far has shown a low turnout in some of these areas, I want to remind the Kenyans that there are countries where people beg to be tested, yet their governments are unable to do so,” Aman said.
“I want to appeal to Kenyans to willingly come forward to be tested, the Ministry of Health is encouraging the Kenyans in the target areas to come and get tested, experience has shown that countries that have managed to flatten their infection curve quickly have heavily relied on targeted testing. The test will be conducted free of charge.”
Dr. Aman noted that the Ministry of Health has acquired the testing capacity to undertake targeted testing.
