Coronavirus face-masks and drugs re-exported to China leaving Kenyans Vulnerable

Face-Masks shortage in Kenya.

Now Kenya faces a shortage of drugs and face-masks that may prevent any fight against coronavirus if the deadly disease reaches Kenya.

Thousands of face masks have been re-exported from Kenya to China, where at least 70,000 people have been infected with the virus, while drugs needed to manage the disease are dwindling as factories in the Asian country are not manufacturing them fast enough.

Because of the relationships, Kenya has with China, the government decided to re-export the masks from Kenya though the country insufficient masks to contain an outbreak.

The Pharmacy and Poisons Board had earlier stopped re-exports of masks to China, noting that Kenyans would need them should there be an outbreak, but a senior government official slammed the decision, according to a source in the Health ministry.

According to sources in the health ministry, the masks were flown to China under the condition that Kenya has had a favourable trade deal with the Asian nation.

“We are joking with the lives of Kenyans. We are so much into trade, business that we have forgotten that we are playing with the lives of 47 million Kenyans,” said a source at the ministry.

Kenya Medical Supplies Agency chief executive Dr Jonah Mwangi told a Kenyan newspaper the Nation saying there are enough masks, the agency has started the process of procuring a million more to be on the safer side.

“We currently have enough masks in stock, though we are adding more just to be sure that we have enough should there be a crisis,” Dr Mwangi said.