Kenya hires 20 Cuban doctors to fight COVID-19 as cases rise to 12,062

Kenya hires 20 Cuban doctors to fight COVID-19 as cases rise to 12,062

The Kenyan government has sought the services of 20 specialised Cuban doctors to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in the country as the disease caseload rose to 12,062.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe made the revelation while addressing the press in Murang’a County where he announced that 389 more patients tested positive for the novel coronavirus within the last 24 hours from 3,545 samples tested.

The 389 new patients include 385 Kenyans and four foreign nationals composed of 260 males and 129 females with the youngest being a 5-month old infant and the oldest 95 years of age.

CS Kagwe added that five patients with underlying illnesses – mostly diabetes and/or hypertension – succumbed to the disease taking the tally of fatalities to 222.

He stated that the Cuban doctors will arrive into the country on Thursday evening and will be stationed at the Kenyatta University Hospital for six months.

“The idea here is for these doctors to work with our own doctors to gain knowledge from each other. Since 2018, we have worked in a partnership to improve healthcare services with the Cuban government; this partnership has seen Kenyan doctors receive specialized training in Cuba and Cuban doctors provide healthcare services throughout our country,” he said,.

“But this particular one is a special brigade that is going to be stationed at KU; and they’re specialized doctors in internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, and paediatrics. With the COVID-19 cases rising, these specialized doctors will go a long way in supporting our doctors in managing the disease and in exchanging of skill development.”

He further added: “It took a telephone call between our president and the Cuban president for this brigade to be made available to us.”

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COVID-19 coronavirus CS Mutahi Kagwe Cuban doctors

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