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Nairobi – The Ministry of Health has announced designated stopover areas for truckers and has increased the testing capacity for cargo carriers in an attempt to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Director of Public Health, Dr. Francis Kuria, elaborated the improved measures on Sunday, since it emerged that the transport sector is a key area in terms of transmission of the disease.
So far, seven truckers from Kenya are being treated in Uganda after they tested positive on Friday.
Kuria also said that Karen Guest House and Ndasa Guest House in Busia County agreed negotiated rates for truckers that may require quarantine.
“Those who operate between Mombasa and Malaba, have a stopover in Malaba, Gilgil, Mlolongo and Mariakani. They are not allowed to stop at any other point. For those who operate between Namanga and Nairobi they only have one allowed stopover point in Mlolongo”, declared the Director of Public Health.
Truckers operating throughout Isebania-Kisumu and Nairobi will only stop at Mai Mahiu and Total Junction, Mau Summit. Those who operate between Malaba and Nairobi may stop at Webuye, but there are no sleeping facilities in Webuye.
Kuria said the improved guidelines will be uploaded to the ministry’s website for further reference.
In addition, it announced that the ministry has expanded the number of test centers for cargo carriers along the Nairobi-Namanga corridor and the Mombasa-Nairobi-Malaba corridor.
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This adds to the requirement that cargo truck drivers test 48 hours and obtain a free COVID-19 certificate before their scheduled trip.
“Because not all trips will start in Mombasa, we have set up test facilities where samples will be collected in the following areas; in Mombasa we have the Miritini Municipal Clinic, in Nairobi, we have the Lady Northey Health Center and the South B Clinic , in Kisumu, we have the Ahero South Hospital, in Migori, we have the Migori reference Hospital, “explained Kuria.
“In Eldoret, we have established a mobile testing center and you can also use the Moi Teaching and Reference Hospital in Nakuru, you can use the General Provincial Hospital and the Naivasha Hospital in Kilifi, use Can Kilifi MTC, in Kwale we have “The Kwale Sub-county Hospital, the Msambweni Reference Hospital and the Kinango Hospital in Machakos, we have a mobile sampling center, in Wajir and Marsabit you can use the Wajir Hospital and the Marsabit Hospital,” he detailed.
“We will establish more centers as we go, but those are one that we have initially set up to make it easier for truck drivers to test while on the road or before embarking on their journey,” added Kuria.
The countries of the East African Community adopted the requirement of free certificates of COVID-19, as they seek to guarantee the continuous movement of goods in the region.
