The government is sitting on a Sh22 billion kitty for the fight against the novel coronavirus. The money includes funds from donors as well as reallocations from various government bodies.
To date, only Sh5.32 billion, comprising of a Sh5 billion loan from the World Bank and Sh320 million grant from the Danish International Development Assistance (Danida), has been appropriately budgeted for.
The intended usage of some Sh17 billion remains up in the air.
The World Bank and Danida’s conditional grant, which was received by the Exchequer on April 8, was given under the Project ID P173820. The loan and the conditional grant from the Danish government is intended for the “prevention, detection and response to the threat and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness in Kenya.”
The money loaned to Kenya is to handle the immediate and long term emergency public health preparedness needs for the country, and boost the ailing health industry.
Medical supplies
Part of it will go towards the purchase of medical supplies and equipment which, according to documents seen by Sunday Standard, will “improve the availability of supplies and equipment needed to respond to Covid-19, other public health emergencies and strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Health to provide timely medical diagnosis for patients.”
The usage of the other donated funds outside the World Bank money and which total nearly Sh17 billion still remains unclear. The Kenya Covid-19 Fund will tomorrow make an announcement on the total amount of money it has received and the intended usage of both the cash and in kind donations.
The Fund has in its coffers some Sh16.415 billion donated to it by various state bodies as well as private organisations. More than Sh7 billion of this was received from the Central Bank of Kenya.
Information in the public domain shows that the Senate donated some Sh200 million from its budget towards the fund. Cooperative Bank also announced that it had donated some Sh100 million towards the kitty with United Bank of Africa donating another Sh15 million.
Prior to these announcements, Treasury had announced that it had received some Sh7 billion towards the coronavirus war.
“As you recall in September last year we concluded the demonetisation of our currency relating to our old generation Sh1,000 banknotes. That matter was concluded and as a result of that, Sh7.4 billion worth of banknotes never came back to the system,” CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge said while announcing the funds at a function at State House, Nairobi.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji also announced the surrendering of Sh2 billion seized by the State over corruption to the fund.
Even with these billions, most critical care equipment that is key for healthcare workers have come as donations.
Isolation rooms
“We will continue to take measures. Keep in mind that these measures we are taking are to ensure that every Kenyan is protected and is safe,” President Uhuru said.
On Friday, Health CS Mutahi Kagwe announced the arrival from China of some 18 tonnes of protective gear as well as key reagents for Covid-19 testing.
Supplies and equipment, including the personal protective equipment (PPE) are still in short supply, exposing frontline healthcare workers to the virus, 10 of whom have already contracted it, while dozens others are in quarantine.
As the central government dithers over the other amounts, the biggest chunk of the World Bank money will go towards the setting up of quarantine, isolation and treatment centres.
Some of it will go into the construction or renovations and equipping of isolation rooms in all points of entry in the 14 high risk counties identified by the Ministry of Health, Level 5 hospitals and high-volume Level 4 hospitals.
The key national teaching and referral hospitals will also benefit from this component to manage the infectious diseases – including structural changes to improve negative pressure airflow, floor and air quality, among others.
In a recent address to the public, Kagwe noted that disposal of items such as masks will pose a big challenge, and discussions were ongoing with counties on how to do this.
Sh338 million of the funds have been dedicated to medical waste disposal, considering that waste related to the virus is high risk and could pass on the pathogen to those disposing them. These funds will go towards the construction of and procurement of specialised incinerators.
The blood crisis that had hit Kenya is also considered in this funding, with Sh1 billion earmarked for the Kenya National Blood Transfusion Services to put its act together for the long term.
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