Kakamega Chief of staff dies of Covid19

Story by Wamboi Favor, Maisha TV

Robert Sumbi, Kakamega county chief of staff, has succumbed to the covid -19 disease.

The county chief of staff passed away on thursday morning at lifecare hospital in bungoma after he had been transferred by the Kakamega county general hospital after his condition deteriorated on wednesday evening.Sumbi is one of the county officials who have contracted the virus in the recently.

Sumbi was to undergo dialysis since he was sufferring from kidney failure and he could not be attended to at the General hospital since he was Covid-19 positive.

A doctor at the general hospital said they had to move him to Lifecare where they would do both ICU and Dialysis because their ICU has other patients and moving him there could endanger patients with other ailments. Sumbi’s condition deteriorated while in bungoma and he passed on at dawn.

After governor Wycliffe Oparanya shut down the county headquarters following a surge in virus cases, county staff members went to the general hospital on thursday for covid -19 tests as he ordered them to be tested.

Robert Sumbi served as county executive for environment and water between 2013 and 2017. He was appointed chief of staff after Oparanya’s re- election in 2017.
Sumbi is among the senior county executive and assembly staff members who have contracted the virus lately.

By wenesday, Kakamega had 316 cases out of which 57 were health workers. Oparanya’s administration has resolved to intensify adherence to the Covid- 19 protocols and restrictions and also to ensure that all learners in schools wear masks and observe social distancing.

The governor has also banned all political gatherings and church sessions that culminate into political rallies. Oparanya said home- based care is encouraged to decongest the health facilities that have now been overstreched.

As from thursday, it is said that the sensitisation programmes on the virus will be intensified at the grassroots levels, involving chiefs and their assistants, county government administrators and medical personnel.

The county general hospital was asked by the assembly to carry out mass testing of MCAs and staff but the hospital management said it did not have testing kits.

County health services executive, Dr. Collins Matemba said that plans are underway to relocate virus patients at the general hospital to Likuyani sub-county hospital and leave the facility for VIP admissions.