NAIROBI, Kenya Mar 19 – The government is set to start manufacturing alcohol-based sanitizers which will be distributed to the public for free countrywide to help contain the spread of coronavirus.
The virus has so far infected seven people with the Ministry of Health on Wednesday announcing that it is tracing 85 other people who are said to have interacted with an infected patient who fled from Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi before she was traced and taken back.
Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua in a circular copied to Cabinet Secretaries Fred Matiangi (Interior), Mutahi Kagwe (Health), Ukur Yattani (Treasury) and the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, noted the production is meant to cushion Kenyans who cannot afford the item.
The move by the government follows frustration by a section of Kenyans over lack of the commodity, which is retailing at double its original price. It’s not available in most outlets.
Kinyua has instructed a multi-agency team overseeing the production to identify all ethanol held under offences at the various ports of entry and custom areas in the country and release it to the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC).
“KPC will liaise with the oil industry players who have expressed willingness to produce the sanitizers for the expected manufacture and distribution,” Kinyua said.
He maintained that KPC will implement an accountability framework to ensure that the ethanol is utilized for the manufacture and distribution of the sanitizers only.
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