Reopening of schools and the economy; Here are resolutions of the covid-19 virtual conference held today

Among resolutions reached, the National Youth Service, in anticipation of opening of schools, to produce masks for all school going children and all teachers.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE COVID-19 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE HELD ON MONDAY, 31ST AUGUST 2020

The COVID-19 Virtual Conference was convened by the Council of Governors on Monday 31st August, 2020 with an overall objective of reflecting on the government’s COVID-19 response efforts, challenges and recommending strategic policy measures that can be adopted by both levels of government in readiness for future pandemics.

In line with the conference theme ‘County Governments’ Resilience in the COVID-19 Era: Reflecting on the Past and Building Sustainability for the Future’, the conference made the following resolutions,

THAT:

1. Both levels of government to institutionalize the strong intergovernmental relations exhibited during the COVID-19 period by applying structural and transformative response towards future pandemics and all sectors of our national life.
ACTION: County Governments, Mnistry of Health, Ministry of Devolution and Development Partners.

2. The National Government and the County Governments shall jointly develop a country post COVID-19 socio-economic re-engineering and recovery strategy.
ACTION: Council of Governors, National Treasury, UNDP

3. Both levels of government shall improve community healthcare response by:
i. operationalizing a health Fund at County level with oversight through the health facility committees; and
ii. ensuring community ownership in pandemic response.
ACTION: County Governments, Ministry of Health, Development Partners, Civil Society

4. Strengthen preparedness and response to pandemics through:
i. Establishment of Regional Infectious Disease Centers and Research Institutions by the County Regional Blocs and the establishment of the Kenya Center for Disease Control (CDC) in order to strengthen national and local early warning systems; and
ii. Investment by both levels of government in preventive care.
ACTION: County Governments, Ministry of Health

5. Both levels of government to strengthen healthcare systems and fully roll out Universal Health Coverage.
ACTION: National Government, Parliament, County Governments

6. Strengthen accountability and actively fight corruption by:
i. Both levels of government embracing open government and publicize tenders and awarded contracts on County and National Government websites ; and
ii. Ensuring agencies tasked to fight corruption coordinate their work in order to minimize duplication (Senate, National Assembly vis-à-vis anti-corruption agencies)
ACTION: Parliament, County Assemblies, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Auditor-General, Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI)

7. Both levels of government to work with health workers’ associations in order to improve psychosocial support for frontline staff, survivors and families of those who contract COVID-19.
ACTION: County Governments, Ministry of Health

8. Both levels of government to build resilient food systems by investing more in technology with respect to food production.
ACTION: County Governments, Ministry of Agriculture, Development Partners

9. Both levels of government to mainstream climate change within annual budgets to promote community resilience during pandemics.
ACTION: County Governments, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation

10. The Public Health Act to be reviewed with a view to aligning it with the current constitutional dispensation.
ACTION: Ministry of Health, Council of Governors, Office of the Attorney-General, Parliament

11. National Youth Service, in anticipation of opening of schools, to produce masks for all school going children and all teachers.
ACTION: Ministry of Public Service, Ministry of Education and County Governments

12. State Agencies at the national level and County Departments to strengthen their capacity to undertake rapid research synthesis mechanisms and deliberately seek to harvest local knowledge for decision-making.
ACTION: National Government, County Governments

13. Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and County Departments in charge of Statistics to generate quality and usable data for evidence based planning and budgeting.
ACTION: County Governments (Statistics’ Offices), National Government (KNBS)

14. Both levels of government to stimulate local manufacturing of COVID-19 commodities in order to meet the local demand, promote industrialization and create job opportunities.
ACTION: County Governments, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development, Private Sector

15. The National Government and the County Governments to keep the momentum of coordinating and collaborating in the post COVID-19 recovery period.
ACTION: National and County Coordinating Summit, Intergovernmental Sector Forums