Kenya received a cash grant from China totalling US$2 million, reported as KSh259.8 million in one source and KSh259.5 million in another, on Thursday at a hand-over ceremony in the National Treasury in Nairobi attended by Chinese Ambassador Guo Haiyan, National Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni.
The grant is split equally, with US$1 million earmarked for strengthening Ebola virus disease preparedness infrastructure in counties classified as very high-risk and high-risk, and the remaining US$1 million allocated to support the government’s drought-relief response.
Guo said the grant reflects the friendly sentiments of the Chinese government and people toward Kenya and affirmed China’s willingness to continue development cooperation under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Global Development Initiative; Kiptoo praised China’s prompt response and the timely financial support for Ebola mitigation and drought relief.
The assistance follows Kenya’s report of its first imported Ebola case, a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for seven years and died while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital, prompting President William Ruto to direct state agencies to intensify surveillance at ports of entry.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale stated that Kenya is not experiencing an Ebola outbreak but is dealing with an isolated imported case, noting that 66 people are currently in quarantine, 652,000 travellers had been screened, 267 samples tested as of October 6, and 4,971 healthcare workers had been trained in Ebola prevention and management.
Kenya is also confronting prolonged droughts in semi-arid counties, and the meteorological department has warned that El Nino rains could bring floods from October to early next year.
