The Kenya Covid-19 Fund Board has given an insight into how much money Kenya recieved to fight COVID-19.
The board was established to bring together the private sector, and pull funds to cushion systems from collapse as a result of the pandemic.
The funds board has revealed it sent a total amount of Kshs 2.6 billion in cash and an equivalent of Kshs 0.5 billion, mainly in form of food to cushion Kenyans.
The Contributions to the fund were from, among others, Equity Group Foundation (Kshs 1.1 billion), Safaricom (Kshs 250 million), KCB (Kshs 150 million), ABSA (Kshs 150 million), Co-operative Bank (Kshs 100 million) and NCBA (Kshs 100 million).
Contrary to popular opinion, the funds board clarified that it did not recieve any monies from the government.
The fund were channeled into two priority pillars: health and livelihood/welfare interventions.
On the health pillar the fund prioritised supporting local manufacturing for building capacity in the spirit of ‘Buy Kenya, Build Kenya’.
For instance, the procurement of all PPEs was done from local manufacturers with the technical support of Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) to drive quality.
This approach, the board added, stimulated of the local economy and delivered significant cost efficiencies.
On livelihoods, at the height of the pandemic the board supported over 100,000 families with stipends and food.
