This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
On March 24, a cargo shipment containing medical supplies donated by Chinese tycoon Jack Ma arrived at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
However, despite the urgent need for these supplies to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kenyan government has yet to distribute some of the medical equipment, including 12 positive airway pressure (PAP) kits and 57 infrared thermometers.
According to an official document titled 'Jack Ma Allocation May 2020', the Ministry of Health had allocated the supplies to various facilities, including Amref Laboratory, which received 384 detection kits, 3000 extraction swabs, 3,984 surgical masks, and 189 Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) on March 25.
Amref Laboratory's boss, Dr. Githinji Gitahi, confirmed that they had received the supplies and were still using them. 'We received the kits because we are an approved lab to test for government. The samples we have tested come from Kemri,' Dr. Gitahi explained.
Other laboratories, such as the Kemri molecular lab for biology in Nairobi and Alupe, received 2,304 detection kits and 2,304 extraction kits, despite being fully automated.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has announced that it is investigating two separate theft reports relating to the Covid-19 equipment donated in March.
