This archive report was first published on 22 April 2020.
On April 22, 2020, Kenya received a significant boost in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic with the arrival of 40,000 test kits. The delivery, which included ventilators and personal protective gear, was made possible through the relationships maintained by the government with the private sector.
The test kits were donated by Chinese e-commerce billionaire Jack Ma, a personal friend of President Uhuru Kenyatta. This was the second such donation made by Ma to aid Kenya in its hour of need.
President Kenyatta expressed his gratitude to Ma, stating, "We want to thank Jack Ma who has donated testing kits and other equipment to support us in this battle. We are and we will remain ahead of the curve in the ongoing war because of his generosity".
The arrival of the test kits is crucial for the government's plan to test as many citizens as possible. According to CS Mutahi Kagwe, the underlying logic of this approach is simple: by testing as many people as possible, including those who feel perfectly fine, the government will be able to identify asymptomatic carriers who risk unknowingly transmitting the virus to others.
World Health Organisation Director General emphasized the importance of testing, saying, "We have a simple message for all countries — test, test, test".
With the arrival of the test kits, Kenya is one step closer to containing the spread of the virus. The government has urged citizens to abide by regulations, including staying home when possible, wearing a mask, and maintaining social distance.
