Kenya on Thursday, October 8, received a $2 million grant from China to strengthen Ebola preparedness and support drought-relief efforts.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan and senior Kenyan government officials signed a handover certificate during a ceremony at the National Treasury in Nairobi.
Of the amount, $1 million will be used to improve Ebola preparedness infrastructure in counties classified as high-risk, while the remaining $1 million will support communities affected by prolonged drought.
The support follows Kenya’s confirmation on Tuesday, October 6, of its first imported Ebola case. The patient, a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for seven years, died while receiving treatment at a Nairobi hospital. President William Ruto has since directed state Agencies to intensify surveillance at ports of entry to reduce the risk of transmission.
Kenya is also confronting climate-related challenges in its semi-arid counties, with the country’s meteorological department forecasting El Niño rains and possible flooding from October 2026 to early 2027.