NO RUNNING WATER, POOR FOOD AND SANITATION AT KENYA'S QUARANTINE FACILITY
We are writing on behalf of quarantined individuals at the Ng’ong Road branch of the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC)- Kanu Hostel. This is in response to the circular mandating the extension of the quarantine period by a further 14 days - Ref MOH/ADM/1/3/Vol 1 Dated 3rd March 2020 and publicly issued on 4th April 2020. We are kindly requesting the government to reconsider the extension based the reasons outlined below.
1. Unsatisfactory Quarantine Conditions
We have observed that it is difficult for the government to enforce strict isolation within the KMTC quarantine centre.
• For one thing, we use communal bathroom facilities where the potential for infection is high. Additionally, some of the bathrooms lack water which is the first line of defense against Covid-19.
• Our second concern is the food dissemination and temperature check process where we are required to queue up, often at a proximate distance which could again put us at risk of contracting the disease.
• The third issue is that we were not provided with protective masks and gloves upon our arrival at KMTC. It is important to note that not everyone was able to purchase these items before arriving in Kenya and given the high-risk nature of the quarantine facilities, it was a consideration that should have been made.
• We are also continually plagued by bedbugs, despite efforts at fumigation and airing out of beddings.
Remaining in quarantine under the conditions highlighted above, poses a great risk and threat to individuals who were found negative in the first round of testing. There are deep concerns among quarantined persons at KMTC that their continued residence at the facility will in fact result in them contracting the virus despite their best attempts to follow the guidelines on hygiene and self-isolation.
2. Continuous interaction with support staff, caterers, security officials and health officials
We also have major concerns around our continued interaction with subordinate staff, caterers and security officials who frequently make contact with the outside world. These individuals come into the facility daily after boarding public service vehicles where chances of infection are high. We are aware that the subordinate staff have NOT been tested for the disease. Further, they are not required to undergo temperature checks when entering and leaving the facility. This creates a very dangerous avenue for possible infection of quarantined individuals from the “outside”. Similarly, there is the potential that the support staff may in turn infect people outside the quarantine facilities should they contract the disease from quarantined persons. An extended quarantine period exacerbates the likelihood of this occurring.
3. Concern For Special Groups of Quarantined Individuals
We are also asking the government to reconsider extending the quarantine period because of individuals within the quarantine facilities who require special attention. We have several aged people (50+) who despite suffering from ailments such as arthritis have been forced to reside in less than savory conditions. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have a few people who have children quarantined with them at the facility. There are also a few pregnant women as well as people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure etc. who can only take specific medication. We have noted that the said persons are not being provided with specialized medication and can only access paracetamol and painkillers. With the recently passed rules forbidding the reception of items and medicines from the outside world, we wonder how these people are expected to cope.
4. Volatile communication from KMTC management and MOH officials
While we appreciate that the government is doing its best to communicate the measures it is taking to mitigate the spread of the disease, we find that communication on very important matters within the KMTC facility has been grossly lacking. Extension of the quarantine period could result in more communication lapses. Specific instances where we have witnessed poor communication by KMTC management and the MOH include:
• Failure to issue results of the Covid-19 test even though tests results are supposed to come out after 24hours and a maximum of 48 hours. The Covid-19 test was conducted at KMTC on Wednesday 1st April 2020 and as at 4th of April 2020, none of us are aware about our results. Officials have hinted that positive people have been removed from the facility, however we cannot be sure and would really appreciate personal communication on our individual results. We are particularly concerned because we have heard that the testing is being conducted in a staggered manner, meaning that there could still be positive people in our midst who could pose a danger to everyone else.
• Failure to explicitly specify the exact date when the extended quarantine is expected to begin.
• Failure to provide us with an explicit and clear set of rules upon our arrival at the facility. The rules were provided on the eighth day of our quarantine.
• Failure to convey what will happen should additional positive cases be found after an extended period of quarantine.
5. Blanket directives
We understand that one of the reasons prompting the government to extend our stay at the quarantine facilities was a few careless individuals who decided to defy the required self- isolation requirement and have a party. But we kindly ask that the government reprimand and punish the persons implicated and consider the rest of us with leniency instead of applying a blanket directive that could endanger our lives further. Not every individual was in attendance of the said parties.
The Way Forward
We would like the MOH to consider retesting all quarantined individuals at KMTC and release those with negative results for subsequent self-quarantine at home. Those found positive will comply and go to the designated government isolation facilities. All individuals found negative and released for self-quarantine will commit, in writing, to adhere to all conditions of self- quarantine put in place by the government. Additionally, they will commit to;
• Immediate registration with local authorities such as the area police, the chief and the Mzee wa nyumba Kumi (The registration can be conducted on our behalf by close relatives/friends).
• Making daily reports on their general health to the designated government officials.
We also request the government to transport each of the individuals who test negative to their respective homes to minimize interaction with the public and inform their neighbors so that they can remotely police them.
If that is not possible, we kindly request the government to consider the possibility of reducing the extended quarantine period to 7 days or less following a retest. This is without a doubt a very challenging time for the government of Kenya and the MOH, however we sincerely hope that you will consider our concerns and review the decision to extend the 14-day quarantine period.
Yours Sincerely,
KMTC- Kanu Hostel Quarantined Individuals
We are writing on behalf of quarantined individuals at the Ng’ong Road branch of the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC)- Kanu Hostel. This is in response to the circular mandating the extension of the quarantine period by a further 14 days - Ref MOH/ADM/1/3/Vol 1 Dated 3rd March 2020 and publicly issued on 4th April 2020. We are kindly requesting the government to reconsider the extension based the reasons outlined below.
1. Unsatisfactory Quarantine Conditions
We have observed that it is difficult for the government to enforce strict isolation within the KMTC quarantine centre.
• For one thing, we use communal bathroom facilities where the potential for infection is high. Additionally, some of the bathrooms lack water which is the first line of defense against Covid-19.
• Our second concern is the food dissemination and temperature check process where we are required to queue up, often at a proximate distance which could again put us at risk of contracting the disease.
• The third issue is that we were not provided with protective masks and gloves upon our arrival at KMTC. It is important to note that not everyone was able to purchase these items before arriving in Kenya and given the high-risk nature of the quarantine facilities, it was a consideration that should have been made.
• We are also continually plagued by bedbugs, despite efforts at fumigation and airing out of beddings.
Remaining in quarantine under the conditions highlighted above, poses a great risk and threat to individuals who were found negative in the first round of testing. There are deep concerns among quarantined persons at KMTC that their continued residence at the facility will in fact result in them contracting the virus despite their best attempts to follow the guidelines on hygiene and self-isolation.
2. Continuous interaction with support staff, caterers, security officials and health officials
We also have major concerns around our continued interaction with subordinate staff, caterers and security officials who frequently make contact with the outside world. These individuals come into the facility daily after boarding public service vehicles where chances of infection are high. We are aware that the subordinate staff have NOT been tested for the disease. Further, they are not required to undergo temperature checks when entering and leaving the facility. This creates a very dangerous avenue for possible infection of quarantined individuals from the “outside”. Similarly, there is the potential that the support staff may in turn infect people outside the quarantine facilities should they contract the disease from quarantined persons. An extended quarantine period exacerbates the likelihood of this occurring.
3. Concern For Special Groups of Quarantined Individuals
We are also asking the government to reconsider extending the quarantine period because of individuals within the quarantine facilities who require special attention. We have several aged people (50+) who despite suffering from ailments such as arthritis have been forced to reside in less than savory conditions. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have a few people who have children quarantined with them at the facility. There are also a few pregnant women as well as people with underlying health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure etc. who can only take specific medication. We have noted that the said persons are not being provided with specialized medication and can only access paracetamol and painkillers. With the recently passed rules forbidding the reception of items and medicines from the outside world, we wonder how these people are expected to cope.
4. Volatile communication from KMTC management and MOH officials
While we appreciate that the government is doing its best to communicate the measures it is taking to mitigate the spread of the disease, we find that communication on very important matters within the KMTC facility has been grossly lacking. Extension of the quarantine period could result in more communication lapses. Specific instances where we have witnessed poor communication by KMTC management and the MOH include:
• Failure to issue results of the Covid-19 test even though tests results are supposed to come out after 24hours and a maximum of 48 hours. The Covid-19 test was conducted at KMTC on Wednesday 1st April 2020 and as at 4th of April 2020, none of us are aware about our results. Officials have hinted that positive people have been removed from the facility, however we cannot be sure and would really appreciate personal communication on our individual results. We are particularly concerned because we have heard that the testing is being conducted in a staggered manner, meaning that there could still be positive people in our midst who could pose a danger to everyone else.
• Failure to explicitly specify the exact date when the extended quarantine is expected to begin.
• Failure to provide us with an explicit and clear set of rules upon our arrival at the facility. The rules were provided on the eighth day of our quarantine.
• Failure to convey what will happen should additional positive cases be found after an extended period of quarantine.
5. Blanket directives
We understand that one of the reasons prompting the government to extend our stay at the quarantine facilities was a few careless individuals who decided to defy the required self- isolation requirement and have a party. But we kindly ask that the government reprimand and punish the persons implicated and consider the rest of us with leniency instead of applying a blanket directive that could endanger our lives further. Not every individual was in attendance of the said parties.
The Way Forward
We would like the MOH to consider retesting all quarantined individuals at KMTC and release those with negative results for subsequent self-quarantine at home. Those found positive will comply and go to the designated government isolation facilities. All individuals found negative and released for self-quarantine will commit, in writing, to adhere to all conditions of self- quarantine put in place by the government. Additionally, they will commit to;
• Immediate registration with local authorities such as the area police, the chief and the Mzee wa nyumba Kumi (The registration can be conducted on our behalf by close relatives/friends).
• Making daily reports on their general health to the designated government officials.
We also request the government to transport each of the individuals who test negative to their respective homes to minimize interaction with the public and inform their neighbors so that they can remotely police them.
If that is not possible, we kindly request the government to consider the possibility of reducing the extended quarantine period to 7 days or less following a retest. This is without a doubt a very challenging time for the government of Kenya and the MOH, however we sincerely hope that you will consider our concerns and review the decision to extend the 14-day quarantine period.
Yours Sincerely,
KMTC- Kanu Hostel Quarantined Individuals
