President Uhuru Kenyatta has launched the construction of the World Health Organization (WHO) African regional operations and logistics hub.
Speaking during the ceremony at the Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) in Kiambu County, President Kenyatta welcomed the WHO’s decision to put up the emergency hub in Kenya.
Kenya is one of the three African countries selected by the World Health Organization to host a logistics hub that will be equipped with emergency medical personnel, commodities and equipment to support countries with emergencies in Eastern Africa.
Senegal and Nigeria are the other two African countries selected to host the World Health Organization hubs that will also be centres of excellence in emergency medical training with a capacity to respond to over 100 crises at a time.
President Kenyatta commended WHO for the launch of the new innovative initiative to improve the capacities of African countries to respond, in real-time, to increasingly numerous and complex health emergencies.
“An expanded and more versatile emergencies hub in Kenya will allow WHO to effectively and swiftly support Kenya and all Eastern and Southern African countries by maintaining stockpiles of medical and logistical supplies. It is in this context that the WHO Regional Office for Africa sought to strengthen and expand the WHO emergencies hub in Kenya, to coordinate high-quality responses to health emergencies.” President Uhuru Kenyatta.
To facilitate the commencement of operations of the hub, President Kenyatta said the Government has allocated 30 acres of land adjacent to KUTRRH and committed USD 5 million towards the operationalization of the hub.
He further added that the Government has also provided WHO with rent-free office space at the KUTRRH to accommodate the initial staff component of up to 150 officers needed to start preparations for the establishment of the hub
The Head of State expressed satisfaction that his directive to the National Treasury and Kenya Revenue Authority to expedite customs clearance for the emergency logistics hub’s medical supplies has been operationalized.
“I am pleased to note that the Kenya Revenue Authority, in collaboration with other Government agencies, has developed an end-to-end process flow map for this expedited clearance process in order to ensure the smooth running of this facility. I wish to assure WHO, of Kenya’s unflinching support for strengthening WHO as the global leader and coordinating entity for preparedness and response of pandemics and other health emergencies,” the Head of State said.
