Germany’s Development Bank (KfW) has allocated Ksh150 million (€1 million) to enhance East Africa’s capacity to address the current Ebola epidemic, with Kenya being one of the recipient nations.
The East African Community (EAC) verified the funding on June 4, indicating that the resources will facilitate the establishment of mobile laboratories, acquisition of diagnostic materials, and education of laboratory staff throughout the region.
“During the discussions, additional measures to mobilize resources for combating Ebola were examined. Ministers expressed appreciation for the German Development Bank’s pledge to redirect €1 million toward establishing mobile laboratories, purchasing diagnostic equipment, and training laboratory technicians,” the EAC communicated in an official release.
The funding announcement was made during the 8th Special Session of EAC Health Ministers, conducted online between June 1 and 2.
The gathering was organized to develop a synchronized regional strategy against a rapidly spreading Ebola epidemic that has already resulted in numerous fatalities throughout the area.
By June 4, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had documented 121 verified cases and 1,077 potential cases, with 246 fatalities reported among suspected individuals.
Uganda had also identified 11 confirmed cases, including one fatality, causing concern about the potential for broader cross-border spread.
Kenya stands among the EAC member states that have already obtained a German-sponsored mobile laboratory to enable swift testing and identification of potential Ebola cases.
These mobile laboratories were delivered through the EAC Regional Network of Reference Laboratories Project via the same financial channel, with expertise from the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine.
Ten mobile laboratories are presently active throughout the region, serving the DRC, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and Tanzania.
In Kenya, President William Ruto has disclosed that the nation has established facilities nationwide to screen, isolate, and handle potential cases while the region maintains heightened vigilance concerning the continuing epidemic.
These facilities, distributed across multiple counties, comprise Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) in Nairobi and Thika, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH) in Eldoret, and Alupe Sub-County Hospital in Busia, among other locations.
However, actual diagnostic testing is conducted independently by specialized Biosafety Level 3 laboratories overseen by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the National Public Health Laboratory.
In this context, the government’s proposal at Laikipia Air Base has sparked demonstrations and legal opposition, which President Ruto has justified as an element of Kenya’s comprehensive pandemic readiness strategy.
Concurrently, EAC Ministers instructed the Secretariat to expedite the acquisition and installation of additional container laboratories across the region to address current deficiencies, while apprehension about the disease’s expansion continues to grow.