Kenya has received a USD 2 million (Ksh259 million) grant from China to support drought mitigation and strengthen the country’s preparedness against potential Ebola outbreaks.
The funding was handed over to the National Treasury on Thursday, October 8, by China’s Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan, as the government stepped up efforts to contain the virus following the country’s first reported imported Ebola case.
Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo said the grant would be split equally between drought response and Ebola preparedness.
“Welcomed H.E. Amb. Guo Haiyan, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Kenya, at the National Treasury for the official handing over of a USD 2 million (Ksh259 million) grant from the Government of China to the Government of Kenya,” Kiptoo stated.
Under the arrangement, Ksh129.5 million (USD 1 million) will go towards drought mitigation, while another Ksh129.5 million (USD 1 million) will be channelled towards strengthening Kenya’s preparedness and response to potential Ebola outbreaks.
The Chinese support comes just two days after Kenya confirmed its first imported Ebola virus case. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale announced on Tuesday, October 6, that the patient had died and was subsequently buried.
The deceased was a Kenyan man who had lived and worked in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) before travelling to Kenya through Uganda. He was later isolated at Nairobi Hospital after arriving in the country.
The Ebola case has triggered heightened government efforts to trace and isolate people who may have been exposed to the virus.
The government has also been seeking additional financing to support its wider emergency response. Kenya has sought USD 400 million (approximately Ksh51.8 billion) from the World Bank under its Rapid Response Option to help address the emergency.
As part of the response plan, the government is mobilising Ksh70 billion, with the National Treasury having initially set aside Ksh2.6 billion for emergency interventions.
The Treasury is also expecting an additional Ksh21 billion (approximately USD162.2 million) from the United States government under a Department of State direct assistance commitment aimed at supporting efforts to combat the outbreak.
Meanwhile, health authorities have intensified contact-tracing measures, with people who interacted with the deceased already identified.
Those being monitored include his family members, healthcare workers who attended to him and passengers who travelled with him.
The contacts have been isolated and placed under monitoring as health officials work to prevent further transmission of the virus.
