Red Cross: Westgate kitty safe
After the tragic Westgate attack, attention has now shifted to how the Sh102 million raised for victims will be distributed.
The Kenya Red Cross Society, the kitty manager, says plans are in place to enable efficiency and transparency in the sharing the money.
KRCS secretary general Abbas Gullet said every penny collected under the ‘We are one’ banner would be put into good use.
“ We have already had our first meeting with the task force that was set up to work on this,” he said.
Offering services
Abbas said the bulk of the funds would go towards medical emergency grants to hospitals offering services to first responders, victims and their families.
According to the breakdown, Sh50 million has been set aside for the grant that will carter for payments to hospitals that have a determined cap per patient. It will also buy prosthetic limbs after verification with KRCS.
“This is a medical bill for approximately 250 survivors and patients who passed on while on treatment. Hospitals will be prevailed upon to waive mortuary fees, but where this is not possible, then a few cases will be considered,” he said.
Another Sh15 million has been budgeted for trauma counselling that will include services to survivors and immediate families, bereaved families, front line teams, engagement of specialists who handled children hostage cases.
“We have engaged around 200 counsellors and they will be paid allowances like transport, water, among others, ” Abbas said in offering an explanation.
Another Sh20 million has been allocated for ambulance service providers such as Eplus, St Johns, AMREF, AAR and West Ambulance.
He said Sh10 million has been set aside for the purchase of blood bags, vacutainers, capillary tubes, disinfectant, screening kits.
The amount will also pay more than 300 volunteers.
Reconciling records
Abbas said a further Sh5 million has been set aside for the completion of the blood transfusion services centre and support of equipment at Kenyatta National Hospital.
“Finally, the remaining Sh2.3 million has been budgeted as stand-by fund to support the categories named above on need basis,” said the secretary general.
City Mortuary Superintendent Jacob Nyongesa Simiyu said that the mortuary bills had been directed to the Red Cross and that no family had been made to part with cash for their deceased.
“We have instructions from the County Health Secretary that we do not withhold any body from the Westgate attack. We are reconciling our records and will liaise with the Kenya Red cross to have the bills settled,” Nyongesa said.