World Vision Donates Medical Items to Boost Kenya's COVID-19 Fight

By Sarah Ooko, World Vision Senior Communications Officer, Kenya

World Vision Kenya has donated medical supplies worth over 50 million Kenya shillings (467,098 US dollars) to support the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 fight.

The consignment comprises of 11,416 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits that will be distributed to various health facilities in the Country. The kits contain surgical masks, shoe covers, scrub bottoms, aprons and coveralls.

This initiative is in line with World Vision Kenya’s COVID-19 Response plan which seeks to strengthen health systems and enhance the capacity of health workers to address the Coronavirus disease challenge. 

"We appreciate the dedication and commitment of our frontline healthcare workers who are working tirelessly to conduct tests and care for people infected with COVID-19. We need to ensure that they are safe at all times," said Lilian Dodzo, the National Director for World Vision in Kenya.

She noted that people need to continue adhering to COVID-19 prevention strategies recommended by the government such as frequent hand washing with soap and water, social distancing and wearing masks while in public.

"By doing this, we not only slow down the spread of the disease but also show our appreciation to healthcare workers that are working round the clock to save lives and protect us from COVID-19.

In addition to the support offered to the national government, World Vision has begun distributing personal protective equipment, medical supplies and hygiene items aimed at strengthening the capacity of rural hospitals in various Counties to fight COVID-19.

Already, the organisation has dispatched PPE items, as well as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) supplies valued at 52 million Kenya Shillings (485,637 US Dollars) in several Counties.

World Vision is also cushioning children and families from the adverse impacts of COVID-19 through the provision of cash transfers to enable affected households to buy food and other items that they may be in need of.

"Most importantly, we're keen on working with the government and other key stakeholders to advocate and protect children from abuse or violations of their rights during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Lilian. 

She added: “Learning from our experience while responding to the Ebola Crisis in West Africa, we are mostly concerned about the secondary impacts of COVID-19 on children, which could result in unprecedented levels of school dropouts, malnutrition, child marriages, FGM, child labour, mental health challenges in children, amongst others."

World Vision also continues to support awareness creation on recommended hygiene practices and measures aimed at minimising the spread of COVID-19 in communities, including scaling up water access initiatives (drilling boreholes, distributing water purifiers and setting up hand washing facilities at critical points like markets) in various Counties where the organisation works.