This archive report was first published on 28 April 2020.
On April 28, 2020, the United States committed Ksh705 million (USD6.6 million) to help Kenya fight the COVID-19 pandemic, US Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter announced.
The additional resources will be used for surveillance, laboratory supplies, and surge staffing costs, McCarter said in a statement.
By Monday evening, Kenya had reported 343 cases of the Novel Coronavirus and 14 fatalities, with numbers expected to rise significantly in the coming months.
McCarter stated that $1.8 million (Ksh193 million) will be immediately released to support critical needs for the COVID-19 response in Kenya, including procuring diagnostic sampling and testing supplies, providing county-level support, and expanding surveillance of COVID-19.
President Trump's phone call to President Kenyatta marked a special moment in their friendship, McCarter said, adding that the US is working on a special Free Trade Agreement and helping with COVID-19.
Since early January 2020, the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) has deployed nearly 50 Kenya-based technical experts to support Kenya in preparing for and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CDC experts are working side-by-side with Kenyan health officials at the national laboratory, county government offices, and the Public Health Emergency Operations Center in a range of activities, including training, providing technical assistance, and supporting the training of disease epidemiologists.
The donated funds will supplement the Ksh1.28 billion raised by the COVID-19 Fund and some Ksh116 billion to be raised from global financial institutions.
