UN to build Sh1b Covid-19 centre at city hospital

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AfricaPress-Kenya: The United Nations has partnered with the Nairobi Hospital to build a 150-bed facility for its staff who may be infected with the Covid-19.The Sh1 billion treatment facility will be constructed at the Old Nursing School in Nairobi Hospital and is expected to be complete in eight weeks’ time.

The facility will include 25 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 50 High Dependency Unit beds, a theatre, laboratory, and a radiology diagnostic centre.

Nairobi Hospital CEO Dr Allan Pamba said the partnership was aimed at creating a world-class Covid-19 treatment facility to cater for Kenyans and over 20,000 UN staff in Africa and beyond.

The facility will also serve the general public. During the ground-breaking ceremony at the UN office in Nairobi, director-general Zainab Hawa said the construction would be done after an agreement with President Uhuru Kenyatta, who requested for the support, saying Kenya acted as treatment centre for the entire region in several medical emergencies.

“The agreement by the secretary-general to the request of the president for building this facility in Kenya underscores the UNs faith in Kenya’s human resources and expertise,” she said.

She said the UN would help strengthen the capacity of the Kenyan healthcare system to combat the Covid-19 through the provision of the additional hospital beds and specialised equipment.“This initiative will help Kenya to deal more safely and effectively with corona and future pandemics. It will reduce the burden of caring for UN personnel and partners who are Covid-19 positive,” said Zainab.

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