The National Business Compact on COVID- 19 (NBCC) has partnered with Nestlé Kenya and the Rotary International District 9212 to enable hygiene practices within the prisons in Nairobi in a bid to curb the spread of the novel COVID-19.
This partnership will see Kenya Prisons Service fetch about 20,000 liters of water per day, accompanied with soap and 18 hand washing stations donated by NBCC to facilitate and increase the uptake of hand washing in the prisons.
The water will be sourced from Nestlé’s borehole at its factory in Industrial area and distributed to the prisons by The Rotary Club of Kenya through its water bowser on a need basis.
Speaking during the launch, Nestlé East Africa Cluster, Managing Director Ngéntu Njeru, said the company cares for the people and the community hence its commitment to mitigate the spread of the killer disease specially amongst vulnerable communities.
“As the pandemic spreads, the response to COVID-19 in prisons and other places of detention becomes more challenging and requires a community approach to help keep the detainees safe and free of the virus. Nestlé cares deeply for people and for the communities in which we operate, and we have an essential role to play in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 amongst vulnerable communities, ” Mr Njeru said.
Nairobi prisons, which pose a potential risk in the spread of Coronavirus, currently receive water from Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company but the demand occasionally outstrips the supply.
With a prison population of over 6,171 inmates in Nairobi and its environs, the government has enacted stringent directives in prisons such as restricting visitors to ensure safety of the inmates. Other measures include, health education to inmates on how COVID-19 is spread, and training of Prison staff on COVID-19 prevention.
“I am pleased to be partnering with these three organizations today. As we all know prisons have been identified as an area of concern as they are often overcrowded and have inmates and staff coming and going. I want to assure you that we are at the forefront of assessing and preventing the possible spread of this pandemic in our penal facilities countrywide by enforcing strict measures to ensure that we effectively contain the spread of the virus and that we have,” said Mr Dancan Ogore, Senior Assistance Commissioner General of Prisons.
Myriam Sidibe, the NBCC chair & co-founder said they are teaming up with like-minded organisations to engrain hand washing and proper sanitation into people’s live as one key preventative measure to combat Covid-19.
Sidibe said: “During this global pandemic, one of the cheapest, easiest, and most important ways to prevent the spread of COVID – 19 is to wash your hands frequently with soap and water.”
This partnership brings a total number of handwashing facilities deployed by NBCC to over 5,400 countrywide, reaching over 15 million Kenyans.
Last week, health officials expressed concerns over the rising number of infections in correctional facilities which have spread to courts.
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