Government Invests in COVID 19 Research in Kenyan Research Institutions and Universities

The Government of Kenya will continue funding strategic research initiatives at multiple research institutions through a consortium model approach across the country.

In September, the National Research Fund disbursed a total of Kes. 74,111,479 to 4 COVID 19 Research Consortia as part of the Kes. 131,037,479 research funding on the corona virus disease. In April, 2020, the National Research Fund made a Research Call on three Strategic Areas of COVID 19, Cancer Incidences and the Desert Locusts menace. A total of 13 Research Consortia were established to undertake the strategic research. The Fund has since finalized the processing the strategic research call on COVID 19.

The COVID 19 Strategic Research attracted a significant response and 4 consortia formed to address the research priorities of the novel virus from the submitted proposals. The research grant by the research agency is targeted on optimizing parameters for the proper use of face masks to reduce severity of underlying infections for enhanced tolerance to COVID-19, enhancing mental health and psychosocial support to address effects of COVID-19 among primary and secondary school learners in the country, biotechnology research and clinical trials and in COVID 19 drug development and trials.