750 employees of the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) & Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Kisumu and Nairobi, have been given a one month sack notice citing financial difficulties.
The sack notice lasting until the end of May comes amid ongoing investigations on graft allegations leveled against KEMRI.
Atlanta-based Centre for Disease Control CDC, which funds nearly 98 per cent of KEMRI’s programmes is currently investigating the research body over the loss of more than Sh7.2 billion ($80 million) in research funds, the Standard Newspaper reports.
This new development could adversely affect medical research in the country given that the KEMRI/CDC public health research collaboration is the largest in Kenya.
Operations at CDC in Kisumu are have almost come to a halt due to low morale and lack of resources.
CDC and KEMRI are currently involved in more than 200 research projects both in Nairobi and Kisumu, with over 3,500 employees.
