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Nairobi Metropolitan Service launches free Covid-19 mass testing


Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) has launched a free Covid-19 mass testing programme across all the 17 sub-Counties in Nairobi.

This comes as a relief to Nairobi residents with the last screening and fumigation in the city done more than a month ago due to lack of funds.

MASS TESTING

The free mass testing comes at a time when Nairobi County leads the rest of the country in the number of positive Covid-19 cases with at least 496 confirmed cases as on Wednesday, which is almost half of the confirmed national cases with Eastleigh, Kibra, Kawangware and Dandora some of the worst affected areas in Nairobi.

The 11-day exercise, which is already underway in some parts of Kamukunji, Dagoretti and Embakasi East sub-counties, will target communities at the ward levels.

In the Wednesday notice by NMS Director for Health Services Dr Josephine Kibaru-Mbae, schools and open grounds will be used for the purpose of the free testing with the exercise supervised by qualified health personnel to ensure the process is conducted in an organised manner.

In Kamukunji, Eastleigh, which is under extended partial lockdown, was the target with the health personnel pitching camp at Zawadi Primary, St Teresa’s Boys Secondary and New Eastleigh Primary School on Wednesday.

The exercise moved to Dagoretti today with Uthiru community the target as doctors camped at Congo Stage, Molo line stage near Riruta and Kawangware Day Nursery School.

TESTING CENTRES

It also covered residents of Mukuru slums, Pipeline and Quarry with testing centres at Reuben Centre and Kwa Njenga Primary Schools.

On Friday, the exercise will move to Utawala and its neighbourhood. On Saturday, the free Covid-19 mass testing will be in Embakasi Central and West with target community being residents from Kayole and Umoja respectively.

On Sunday, the doctors will pitch tent in Starehe sub-county with Mukuru Kayaba, Mathare and Huruma communities the target.

Next week, the exercise will move to Westlands with testing centres being at Kangemi, Kihumbuini Grounds and Highridge primary with people targeted from Kangemi, Sodom, Bottom line, Deep sea City Park and City Park market.

On May 26, 2020, residents of Langata and Kibera sub-Counties will be the target with the testing centers situated at Undugu grounds and Kamkunji grounds respectively.

OTHER CENTRES

The exercise will on May 27, 2020 head to Kasarani sub-county targeting community around Santon and Hunters with testing centers set up at Murema Primary School. The same day, residents of Githurai 44 and 45 in Roysambu constituency will be tested at Githurai Primary.

The following day, community around Mathare 1, 2 and 3, and Naivas area in Ruaraka constituency will be tested at Kwa DCC. Another team will also be in Langata at Kwa Chief to test residents of the area.

On May 29, the testing will be in Mathare sub-County with Huruma, Kariobangi North and Korogocho residents the target. Another team will also head back to Westlands at Cheleta Primary to test the community around Githogoro and Mji wa Huruma.

On the penultimate day of the testing, residents of Bahati, Civil Servants, Makongeni, Jana Villa, and Jogoo Road in Makadara constituency will be tested at Heshima Road Primary with another team pitching camp at Kamukunji sub-County to test the community around Shauri Moyo, Majengo, Jua Kali, Burma, Gikomba and Muthurwa at Muthurwa Primary School.

The exercise will then come to an end on May 31 in Kamukunji at Maina Wanjigi Secondary School.