Public health officials bury a person who died of Covid-19 in Meru County, Kenya. The government has admitted that its daily statistics on Covid-19 deaths may be inaccurate due to the lack of pathologists in the counties. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache told a parliamentary committee that the ministry can only confirm deaths that occur within hospitals and post-mortem exams of a few that happen within the community.
“People are dying in numbers but we cannot give evidence that the community death occurs as a result of Covid-19 complications when issues of pathology are absent at counties,” she said.
Ms Mochache said only four officers who conduct such examinations on Covid-19 deaths are in the Ministry of Health headquarters.
The Kenyan government has admitted that its daily statistics on Covid-19 deaths may be inaccurate due to the lack of pathologists in the counties.
Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache told a parliamentary committee that the ministry can only confirm deaths that occur within hospitals and post-mortem exams of a few that happen within the community.
“People are dying in numbers but we cannot give evidence that the community death occurs as a result of Covid-19 complications when issues of pathology are absent at counties,” she said.
Ms Mochache said only four officers who conduct such examinations on Covid-19 deaths are in the Ministry of Health headquarters.
“I agree with your observations on the recording of deaths since we are not able to capture all community deaths,” she told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chaired by Opiyo Wandayi.
Ms Mochache said the country is already on the fourth wave of coronavirus as statistics have continued to indicate.
“There is absolutely no doubt that we are in the fourth wave. Counties have not invested in autopsy and you cannot ascertain deaths that occur within communities,” Ms Mochache said in response to MPs concerns on the accuracy of the daily infections and deaths released by the ministry.
She told the committee that the ministry is working with counties and the provincial administration to monitor community deaths.
“I see the rising number of deaths in my own village,” Ms Mochache said.
