Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe during the installation of a 3T MRI machine at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital. With him are the hospital’s board chairperson Prof Olive Mugenda (right) and the Head of Radiology Dr Sarah Osiemwo.
Universities have the solid platform of basic science, what they lack is funding to set up systems.
Rapid funding of research on pandemics will enhance the role of universities as knowledge generators and problem-solvers.
Covid-19 exploded as a nuclear bomb and spread throughout the world as bush fire. Lack of preparedness and capacity to develop and implement emergency responses led to loss of many lives.
In Kenya, the first Covid-19 case was reported in March. Some measures that were put in place to minimise its spread included wearing face masks, social distancing, hand washing with soap and running water or use of alcohol hand sanitiser.
