World Bank approves Kenya coronavirus loan

Kenya will receive a US$50m loan from the World Bank, as the country gets to grips with the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the health minister, Mutahi Kagwe, the money will be used to shore up stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) for health workers on the front line, hand sanitiser, and increasing bed capacity in hospitals.

Health workers have recently been complaining about a lack of PPE available to staff, a problem that is tragically not unique to Kenya.

There were renewed calls for more protective clothing after the Health Ministry confirmed a health worker had contracted the virus while treating a patient.

Health workers’ union leaders have said medics need more protective gear and urged the government to supplement local production by waving import duty on materials needed to do so.

Kenya’s first coronavirus patient, who has since recovered, praised health workers who treated her, saying they did extremely well despite the challenges.

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