Kenya has received a sum of Ksh310m from the United Nations to mitigate the spread of the deadly virus that has so far infected 303 Kenyans. This was as response to the global COVID-19 pandemic impact in the country.
After sitting down to the matter, the UN agreed to mobilise $3.1m of funds mainly dedicated to Kenya to help them in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The money would be for increasing healthcare facilities in the country, building resilience of vulnerable populations, social protection and advocating for the rights of woman to prevent an increase in the marginalization of woman during the COVID-19.
Kenya needs intervention to help them decrease Gender Based Violence (GBV) during the coronavirus pandemic. The UN heard Kenya’s cry and have also stretched out their hand not only financially but also in the contingency plan developed by the Kenya Government.
The contingency plan includes advocacy, cash transfers to build the resilience of vulnerable populations, the deployment of experienced medical personnel to the countries, procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health facilities. The nation needs support in business continuity and enhancement of human capital.
After speaking to partners in a teleconference, co-chaired by PS Mr Charles Sunkuli of the Ministry of Devolution and ASALs, and Mr Walid Badawi, UNDP Resident Representative in Kenya highlighted the criticality of adapting to the changing conditions and thanked partners for their responsiveness.
“We are living in extraordinary times: recognizing the reality of the current situation, today we are adapting this devolution support programme to better assist Kenyans in the fight against COVID-19. I applaud the flexibility and generosity of our partners, the Government of Kenya and the governments of Finland, Italy and Sweden for their approval to use existing funds to support rapid response,” Mr Badawi said.
The United Nations and development partners have also agreed to an initial six-month work plan to strengthen Kenya’s response to the pandemic at both national and county-levels.
