On June 19, 2021, the Parliamentary Committee on Health led by Ndiwa Member of Parliament Martin Owino toured the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Kilifi.
During the tour, Owino emphasized the need for KEMRI to be allocated Ksh 50 billion annually to support its research activities.
He noted that KEMRI, a crucial government institution, has been underfunded for years, relying heavily on donor funding.
"KEMRI is a hub of experts with long-term experience and passion in research," Owino said. "If well-funded, it could help prevent diseases that could be dangerous."
According to Owino, the committee had previously allocated Ksh 2.27 billion for the financial year 2021 and increased the amount to Ksh 2.9 billion for the next financial year.
He highlighted KEMRI's significant contributions during the pandemic period, including the production of sanitizers and masks that were previously imported.
As per their report, KEMRI was ranked number eight in Africa and had the potential to do more, hence the push for additional funding.
Currently, there are 200 researchers to one million people in Kenya, compared to 5000 researchers to one million people in the developed world.
KEMRI is currently conducting genomic sequencing of the Covid-19 vaccine and has started phase 2 vaccine trials.
Speaking during the tour, Daniel Mbinda, the Chairman of KEMRI's Board of Management, emphasized the importance of research in health.
"If we concentrate on research in health, we are capacitating other sectors of the economy," Mbinda said. "Disease surveillance is not a monopoly of KEMRI; it is a multi-sectorial activity involving many government departments."
He added that their aim is to ensure they concentrate on the surveillance of diseases as diseases move with the people.
Currently, KEMRI does not have the capacity to cover the whole country but plans to reach out to border points, which are crucial areas where animals and people move with diseases.
On his part, the Acting Director-General of KEMRI, Joseph Mwangangi, said the institute's researchers are working hard to find a vaccine for Covid-19.
Mwangangi appealed to the government to provide enough support for the development of a vaccine, which is an expensive venture.
Lamu Woman Representative Ruweida Mohamed pledged to advocate for increased funding for research at KEMRI, emphasizing the need for the institution to reach areas such as Lamu, which is experiencing mega projects like the Lapsset project.
