This archive report was first published on 29 June 2021.
On June 29, 2021, the World Bank approved a Sh14 billion ($130 million) loan to support Kenya's Covid-19 vaccination efforts.
The loan, the second of its kind, will enable the country to procure more vaccines and widen its inoculation exercise countrywide.
This financing comes at a critical time when the government of Kenya is making concerted efforts to contain the rising cases of Covid-19 infections and accelerate the deployment of vaccines to a wider population, according to Keith Hansen, World Bank Country Director for Kenya.
‘This additional financing will enable the government to expand access to more Kenyans free of cost,' Hansen said.
The World Bank has contributed significantly to Kenya's Covid-19 response, with a total of $246 million (Sh24.5 billion) in funding, including a previous Sh5.36 billion loan approved in April 2020 for conducting Covid-19 tests, isolation and quarantine centres, and purchase of personal protective gear for health workers.
Kenya had previously returned to the World Bank seeking a Sh10 billion loan to help purchase Covid-19 vaccines following a financing shortfall.
