India gives Kenya 11 tonnes of Ebola supplies, including 30,000 N95 masks

India's High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr Adarsh Swaika, handed 11 tonnes of medical supplies for the Ebola response to Mary Muthoni Muriuki, Principal Secretary for Public Health, at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) headquarters in Embakasi, Nairobi, on 19 October.

The Star lists 30,000 N95 masks, more than 7,000 impermeable protective gowns, about 10,000 heavy-duty nitrile gloves, 60 powered air-purifying respirators, six Class II/III biosafety cabinets and four cold-chain refrigerators. The Indian High Commission said the handover "reflects the close friendship between India and Kenya".

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) valued the supplies at KSh 83,390,710. Its list has 6,000 protective PPE kits, 60 powered air-purifying respirators, 30,000 N95 masks and more than 86,000 sample transport kits, with medical gowns, gloves, face shields, boots and infrared thermometers.

The supplies are meant to strengthen Kenya's response to the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak and will support health workers, treatment and isolation centres, rapid response teams, and screening at points of entry and in health facilities, KBC said. The Ministry of Health said early detection, prompt isolation and strict infection prevention and control remain critical to containing the outbreak. Muriuki urged Kenyans to remain calm and vigilant.

This is not India's first Ebola consignment to Kenya. On 22 July, India handed the first 4.5 tonnes of medical supplies to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, and a second consignment was due within days. In late May and early June, India sent more than 45 tonnes of medical supplies to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).