Kenya to Receive Sh5 Billion from World Bank to Combat Covid-19

Kenya is set to receive $50 million (about Sh5 billion) from the World Bank to fight the coronavirus pandemic. 

In a statement, the World Bank said Kenya will get a total of $60 million (Sh6 billion) with $50 going towards addressing the Covid-19 outbreak while the remaining will be used to boost the country’s universal healthcare project. 
 
“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 the statement.

The funding comes days after Kenya confirmed its first Covid-19 case last week. The number of infections in the country has since climbed to four after three more people were diagnosed on Sunday and Tuesday.

The World Bank announced an initial package of $12 billion to support countries affected by the illness.

“This financing is designed to help member countries take effective action to respond to, and, where possible, lessen the tragic impacts posed by COVID-19,” the bank said in a statement.

The virus has so far infected 188,551 people and killed 7,510 in 162 countries and territories.