This archive report was first published on 25 August 2020.
On August 25, 2020, Kenya's Ministry of Health received a significant donation from Fosun Pharma, a Chinese pharmaceutical company, worth Ksh73 billion in antimalarial drugs.
Health CAS Rashid Aman acknowledged the donation, stating, "We are grateful to FOSUN PHARMA of China for donating an Antimalarial drug to the Ministry worth Ksh73 Billion. The drug is an Artesunate injection 60mg for treatment of severe malaria, a life-threatening condition,"
The gift package consisted of 400,000 vials of the injectable drug, which can treat an estimated 70,000 patients diagnosed with severe malaria.
Health facilities in Kenya had been treating about 300,000 people for malaria every week before the Covid-19 pandemic, but the number has reduced to about 100,000 weekly treatments for serious malaria cases since the pandemic struck.
Health CAS Rashid Aman cautioned Kenyans to present themselves for medical attention at health facilities if they develop malaria symptoms similar to Covid-19, as failure to do so could lead to severe malaria and death.
The donation came amid a nationwide outcry over a Covid-19 scandal that has rocked the Ministry of Health to its core.
On the same day, hundreds of protesters in Mombasa braved teargas canisters as they took to the streets and called for the individuals involved in the Ksh43 billion scandal to be held accountable.
