Nairobi Metropolitan Service launches free COVID-19 mass testing program

Kenya's Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) has launched a free COVID-19 mass testing program across all the 17 sub-Counties in Nairobi, according to a news report by Nairobi News.

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

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 May 20, 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 mass testing program, 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 organized 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.