The government has allocated a sizeable amount of the Ksh1 billion donated by the World Bank to fight Covid-19 on airtime and snacks.
A Ministry of Health (MoH) brief to the National Assembly on response to questions regarding updates on Covid-19 presented in a virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 28, MoH indicated that Ksh6 million had been allocated as airtime allowance for its staff.
The ministry explained that the money would be used by its 500 staff members at the rate of Ksh4,000 per month each for three months.
The ministry also showed that it had allocated Ksh10 million to cater for tea and snacks for its employees.
The brief also indicated that Ksh2 million and Ksh4 million had already been spent on airtime and snacks respectively.
In other allocations, Ksh42 million was directed towards leasing of 15 ambulances, Ksh13.5 million was set aside to cater for the accommodation of 30 healthcare workers needing quarantine services for 90 days and Ksh14 million for maintenance and the fuelling of 30 vehicles.
Other allocations were Ksh2.5 million for stationary, Ksh6.5 million of which has already been used for that purpose, Ksh70 million for communications and Ksh132 million to procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
Institutions-wise, Ksh245 million was allocated to Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital, Ksh125 million for Mbagathi Covid-19 Center, Ksh498 million for Counties Human resources, Ksh42 million for Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Ksh24 million to National human resources.
The money is part of the Ksh6 billion that the country was set to receive from the World Bank since confirming the first positive Covid-19 case.
"The World Bank has committed $60M to help GoK respond to Covid-19: $50M from Covid-19 Financing Facility & $10M from Contingency Emergency Response component of Transforming Health Systems for Universal Care Project," read a statement at the time.
The state announced that it was expecting the second disbursement of Ksh2.3 billion in the coming months.
"The Ministry is awaiting the release will be receiving Kshs.2.3 billion from theWorld Bank to support the response for the remainder of this financial year whose budget is approved by the World Bank," noted the Ministry of Health.
According to WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the fund was critical in ensuring that the international community could come together to contribute to fighting the pandemic.
"We are at a critical point in the global response to Covid-19. We need everyone to get involved in this massive effort to keep the world safe," stated Tedros.
