Kenya’s Ministry of Health is seeking up to Sh Ksh1.8 billion from the Treasury in a proposal for the construction of a coronavirus facility at the Mbagathi Hospital in Nairobi.
Treasury Principal Secretary Julius Muia confirmed that the ministry has been receiving requests for emergency funding to set up the facility.
“With the outbreak of the coronavirus we have had the proposal to make available Ksh.1.8billion to airlift our students from China and put up a hospital on Mbagathi Way to quarantine them first,” Muia said before the Parliaments National Planning and Finance Committee on Thursday, February 20.
Muia said the Health Ministry plans on isolating the students who will be airlifted from Wuhan, China for 14 days while being kept under a close monitor by Kenyan doctors.
Talks are still ongoing between the relevant agencies handling any arising cases of coronavirus.
At the same time, the Kenyan government said it has released Ksh.1.3million to 91 Kenyan students stranded in Wuhan, China.
Govt. spokesperson Colonel (Rtd) Cyrus Oguna said the money would be used for the students’ upkeep.
He noted that facilitating the students’ upkeep was a safer option compared to evacuating them from China.
