The Kenya Public Health Emergency Operations Centre National Strategic Plan (2021– 2026) was launched on Friday as the government moves to enhance Public Health Emergency Management across the country.
Speaking during the launch of the plan, acting Director General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth said the plan, which assumes a fully funded Strategic Plan, presents the full aspiration of the country, including outcome and impact targets that align with international goals.
“The activities embodied under this Strategic Plan will address systemic and root causes of the gaps in Public Health Emergency Management, suggesting the complementary roles of county and national governments, departments across the Ministry of Health, partners, and other sectors” said Dr. Amoth.
Amoth said the strategic plan represents an evolution in the Government of Kenya’s response to public health emergency management adding that data acquired over the past four years will drive a targeted and prioritized approach.
The plan provides the strategy and framework of a multi – sector partnership for Kenya to strengthen public health emergency management and will enable the country to meet her commitments to the core capacity requirements of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. The Kenya Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) was inaugurated in 2016 by the Ministry of Health and tasked with the responsibility of coordinating the preparedness for and response to public health emergencies.
Also launched on Friday was the KPHEOC Handbook and the Standard Operating Procedures that were developed to provide practical guidance to the operations of Public Health Emergency Operations Centres. The documents were developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders including county governments, World Health Organization (WHO), Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Disaster Operations Centre, United States Agency for International Development, Afya Halisi, Kenya Airports Authority, Emergency Response and Humanitarian Agencies among others.
Meanwhile, the ministry of health has updated the list of approved transit travel laboratories offering covid-19 PCR testing in the country.
The 52 facilities include IOM Mombasa hospital in Nairobi, Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa, Malindi District Hospital, Machakos Level 5 Hospital, Gertrudes Children’s Hospital in Nairobi, Nairobi Hospital, Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital,NPHL – Namanga Mobile Laboratory, KEMRI WRP Kisumu, KEMRI Alupe in Busia, KEMRI WRP Kericho , KNH CCC – Nairobi, Meditest Diagnostics Services in Nairobi, Mandera County Laboratory,Metropolis Star Lab Kenya Ltd (Nairobi), Institute of Primate Research (Nairobi), Coast Province General Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital (Nairobi), Nairobi South Hospital, Nairobi West Hospital, Aga Khan Hospital (Kisumu), Premier Hospital (Mombasa), NPHL – National Influenza Centre (Nairobi), AMPATH Plus-MTRH (Uasin Gishu), CDC Nairobi Laboratory, CDC Kisumu Laboratory,Mombasa Hospital (Mombasa), Coptic Hospital (Ngong Road),Metropolitan Hospital (Nairobi), Wajir County Referral Hospital and Mediheal Hospital (Nairobi). Others are; KU TRRH, NPHL – National HIV Reference Lab (Nairobi),KEMRI P3 Nairobi, KEMRI HIV Lab Kisumu, Pathologists Lancet Kenya(Nairobi), KEMRI Welcome Trust (Kilifi),KEMRI VHF Lab (Nairobi), Checkups Medical Centre (Nairobi), The Mater Hospital(Nairobi), Moi Teaching Referral Hospital, Amref Medical Centre (Wilson Airport), REALAB DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY (Nairobi), St Marys Hospital (Mumias), AAR Gwh Health Care Ltd (Nairobi), MEDIPLAN MEDICAL CLINIC (Nairobi), Nyumbani Diagnostic Laboratory and Medical Clinic (Nairobi), Trio Diagnostics Lab (Nairobi), Diani Beach Hospital (Kwale), GTB Scanlab Nakuru Ltd, Karen Hospital (Nairobi) and AMPATH Care hospital in Uasin Gishu County.