Pushing Through Despite COVID-19: A Proactive Response

MIDRIFT Executive Director Joseph Omondi handing over personal protective equipment to county government representatives Sub-county police commander Sammy Githuku and Ward Police Commander Jane Thuita

We are facing a global health crisis unlike any other in the last 75 years. Not only is it killing people, heightening inequalities but upending the social structure as we have known it. For Kenya, standing at nearly 6000 positive cases and about 140 deaths, COVID-19 policies have increased inequality, exclusion, discrimination, and unemployment. Putting a strain on civil-military/police relations as well as making room for increased human rights violations.

As an organization we, have not been spared, many of the community outreach programs conducted by Mid-Rift have either shelved or reduced, however, the organization has been reprogramming and finding innovative ways to keep up with its work, whilst following the COVID-19 prevention and protection measures. As such the organization has adhered to the guidelines given by the ministry of health by maintaining social distance rules, as well as equipping and in extreme cases encouraging its employees to work from home.

Through March to June, the organization has worked in partnership with the office of the county commissioner, the National Police Service (NPS), chiefs, ministry of health officials, community policing committee members, community health volunteers (CHVs) and community-based organizations in Nakuru county (Rhonda, Kaptembwo, Bondeni, Nakuru Central and Naivasha Police Stations) to mitigate the effects and the spread of COVID-19 achieving the following:

1. We have supported the Nakuru County COVID- 19 Emergency Response Committee to four meetings under the chairmanship of the County Commissioner and a multi-sectoral team drawn from the County Government and other stakeholders.
2. Mid-Rift has assisted in the installation of basic handwashing stations and supply of soap in the five stations in which we are working.
3. We have printed 2000 copies of IEC materials (in the form of posters) on prevention of COVID-19 outbreak.
4. Support CPC (Community Policing Committees’) and PBLD ( Place-based leadership development ) leaders in the intervention areas to disseminate 1,554 posters on prevention of COVID-19.
5. Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) disposable gloves and face masks) to police stations.