By Pauline Kamiri
Nairobi, Kenya: Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta on 16th May 2020 ordered a cessation of movement between neighboring Somalia and Tanzania for 30 days to help curb the spread of the new COVID-19.
He however exempted truck drivers who would have tested negative for the disease. He said all truck drivers will be subjected to mandatory COVID-19 testing. This comes after an increase in cross border cases of 43 which are a quarter of the new infections of 166 recorded in the country over a period of one week.
14 cases recorded in Wajir on the Kenya-Somalia border,10 being from Isebania on Kenya-Tanzania border, 16 from Namanga on Kenya- Tanzania border, 2 from LungaLunga on Kenya -Tanzania border and One from Loitoktok on Kenya-Tanzania border. He also said that 78 truck drivers of foreign descent were denied entry to Kenya after testing positive for COVID -19.
Uganda Health ministry communique on 15th May 2019 recorded 43 new COVID-19 cases totaling the COVID-19 cases in Uganda to 203 with 14 being Kenyans, 9 being recorded in Elegu, and 5 in Malaba both at Kenya-Uganda border.
This cross border testing comes after the East African Community (EAC) unveiled a COVID-19 Response Plan in April of 2020 which included strengthening the region’s capacity for COVID-19 surveillance and reporting at all key border points and building knowledge on safety measures, existing prevention and control strategies.
All key border entry points of the EAC have mobile lab experts who are conducting the COVID-19 tests and curbing them at the border.
With over 4.5 million cases of COVID-19 recorded globally most economies and even those of East Africa suffering great losses. With most products including farm produce being delayed at the different border points awaiting COVID-19 clearance of the individual truck drivers from the health professionals.
These delays are in turn causing the produce to become stale and unfit for human or animal consumption, causing traders to suffer massive losses in millions.
However governments in Kenya and Uganda have enhanced efforts to fasten the COVID 19 testing with Uganda’s Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng saying, “All truck drivers arriving via Mutukula point of entry will be tested for COVID-19 and results given within 45 minutes.”
Jane Ruth Aceng and State Minister for Health in charge of General Duties, Uganda Hon. Robinah Nabbanja also commissioned the 1st Port Health laboratory in Uganda. The port health laboratory is a gene expert laboratory with 2 machines and the capacity to run 64 samples per hour.
