India donates US$642K in Ebola response supplies to Kenya’s Ministry of Health
The consignment includes 6,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, 60 powered air-purifying respirators, 30,000 N95 masks, and more than 86,000 sample transport kits.
KENYA—The Government of India has donated medical and protective supplies valued at KSh 83,390,710 (US$ 642,000) to Kenya’s Ministry of Health to strengthen the country’s response to the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak.
The donation comes days after the ministry confirmed nine cases, including the first reported death.
The supplies will support healthcare workers, isolation and treatment centres, emergency response teams and screening at points of entry and health facilities.
Supplies to strengthen outbreak response
The consignment includes 6,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, 60 powered air-purifying respirators, 30,000 N95 masks, and more than 86,000 sample transport kits.
It also contains protective gowns, gloves, face shields, boots and infrared thermometers.
Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni Muriuki received the supplies from India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr Adarsh Swaika, at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) facility in Embakasi.
The donation will strengthen infection prevention and control, protect frontline health workers, and support sample collection and transport for laboratory testing.
These resources are important for maintaining surveillance and response capacity during an outbreak.
Contact tracing continues
The Ministry of Health said the risk to the general public remained low, with no evidence of community transmission at the time of its update.
Of the 135 contacts identified, health authorities had traced 134, representing 99.3%, and placed them under quarantine.
The ministry cautioned that additional cases could emerge among quarantined contacts during the 21-day monitoring period.
Health teams are monitoring them for symptoms to facilitate prompt detection, isolation and treatment if an infection develops.
Focus on containment and preparedness
The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to containing the outbreak through early detection, isolation, contact tracing and strengthened infection prevention and control measures.
It also urged the public to remain calm, follow official health guidance and stay alert to updates from health authorities.
The Indian government’s contribution adds protective equipment and diagnostic logistics supplies to Kenya’s outbreak response, supporting the operational capacity of health facilities and response teams as surveillance and monitoring continue.
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