Coronavirus: Revealing identities of victims will help curb spread in Kenya

What started as a novel distant viral infection affecting people so far away from us has now become a global pandemic that threatens our own existence as a country, especially its contagion and quick spread being viewed against the reality of health response capacity.

We have recorded 50 positive cases amongst our people, one recovery and a single fatality. But it is the thousands that may have been exposed to the possible risk of contracting the virus that we should be very worried about, going by the trend witnessed in other countries.

The identities of the victims being kept away from the knowledge of the public fits within the requirements of privacy as protected in the Bill of Rights under our Constitution.

It has also been argued that the names of those infected being revealed is out of the fear of possible stigma and rightly so.

However, this continued fear of stigma will cause more harm than good. Show faces of corona-positive people to help in the fight against this pandemic.

Knowing our people well, I dare say that when we know who the victims are and what their movement history is or has been like will hugely boost our efforts against the pandemic. 

Start talking freely

Let Kenyans know who is infected, where he/she comes from and which place they visited when and at what time.

There are two ways to do this. One is to encourage those who have it to come out openly and speak to deliver messages of hope and the need for those yet to-be afflicted to stay safe by following the safety precautions issued by the Ministry of Health and experts.

The second option is for government to obtain consent from the victims or their families to publish their identities for public good. I say this with hindsight because before people started talking freely about the HIV pandemic and others openly talking about their status fighting AIDS had been a serious nightmare.

Knowing the victims and their full identity, alongside their location and movement by the time they went into isolation and eventual testing will help Kenyans know better if they may have interacted with victims in one way or the other.

And with such information, Kenyans who suspect to have interacted with such persons will appreciate the need for them to self-quarantine.

Curtail new infections

Going home during curfew hours only raises the risk factors because it is assumed that we are virus-free which could potentially cause rapid spread.

If people get information detailing movement of victims and their identity, the strategy will change as people will isolate themselves from their family members and friends; ultimately leading to a reduction in the spread of the virus and curtail new infections.

Governments are naming victims across the globe and it is my strong belief that the Kenyan government hiding under fear of stigma will further spread the virus.

I encourage leaders who have contracted the virus to take the lead in coming out to speak about their experience, fears and how they have come through that.

Let’s act without fear and save our country. That is my two cents though because I am no expert but only giving my thoughts.