China has given Kenya KSh259 million to strengthen preparedness for potential Ebola outbreaks and support drought mitigation efforts.
The grant, equivalent to US 2 million dollars, was handed over to the National Treasury in Nairobi on Thursday, October 8, by Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan.
Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo and Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni attended the handover ceremony.
The funding will be split equally, with KSh129.5 million going towards Ebola preparedness and the remaining KSh129.5 million supporting drought response.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, the health allocation will help strengthen Ebola preparedness infrastructure in counties identified as being at very high or high risk of transmission.
The drought funding will support the government’s efforts to respond to the effects of drought disasters.
The assistance comes two days after Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease on October 6, following the death of a Kenyan man who had returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The patient had lived in the DRC for seven years before travelling through Uganda and arriving in Nairobi on October 3. He later tested positive for the virus and died while receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital.
Health authorities have since intensified surveillance, contact tracing and screening at points of entry as the government works to prevent further transmission.
Speaking during the grant handover, Ambassador Guo said China remained committed to strengthening its development cooperation with Kenya.
“China’s aid embodies the friendly sentiments held by the Chinese government and people toward the government and people of the Republic of Kenya,” she said.
Guo added that Beijing was willing to deepen cooperation with Nairobi under existing frameworks, including the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Global Development Initiative.
Kiptoo welcomed the assistance, saying the grant would support Kenya’s efforts in epidemic prevention and drought relief.
The funding adds to the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its capacity to respond to public health emergencies as well as climate-related disasters.
While the Ebola allocation will support preparedness in high-risk counties, the drought component will help the government address the impact of water shortages and related emergencies.
Kenya and China have maintained development ties covering infrastructure, trade and investment, with the latest grant extending their cooperation to urgent health and humanitarian needs.
