The government today launched a Covid-19 contact Centre for front line workers at the National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK).

The call Centre that will act as a medium, between NNAK leadership and their members countryside was launched by the Information Communication Technology (ICT), Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru and the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for Health, Mercy Mwangangi.

The CAS explained that the Centre will offer psychosocial support to the front line health care workers and provide a platform to access information and exchange practices among the practitioners.

CS Mucheru noted that the Ministry of ICT through Konza Technologies Development Authority (KoTDA) will provide technical support, reliable infrastructure and devices that will be linked to the national data centre located at the Konza Technopolis.

The creation of the contact Centre will enable health care workers to call and talk to counselors across 47 counties to offer psychosocial support .

“The health care workers are not immune to stress. In fact they see more suffering of people and need to get support even when in remote areas, hence the creation of the Centre,” he said.

A data Centre that will store information of all the health care professionals and service providers has also been set up with the support of Equity Foundation.

The CS disclosed that the country is seeing great innovations by Kenyans that can be used beyond Covid-19. “This ideas will need to be patented in order to protect the innovators,” Mucheru said.

Health Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) Dr. Mercy Mwangangi added that ICT and technology plays a key role in moving the health sector forward and is fundamental to attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“This call Centre will come in handy in meeting the needs of all health care workers,  and it will provide comfort  and  encourage health care workers to be able to speak out and share their experiences,” she said.