CDC Supports Kenya's COVID-19 Surveillance

What to know

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Kenya was able to adapt foundational surveillance and laboratory platforms. CDC leveraged technical skills and trusted partnerships to build sustainable public health capacity at the national and county levels. The U.S. government donated 10 million vaccines to Kenya through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative. The collaboration between CDC and the Kenyan government is instrumental to scaling up capacity to respond to serious public health threats.

woman at vaccine location

Photo essay

Man talking to a lady on the computer
Kenya leveraged CDC investments (which began in 2013) to save lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Expansion of technical support to the country's Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) includes the installation of 18 county PHEOCs that cover 48% of the population, and PHEOC within Kenya Prisons Services. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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The PHEOCs provided a strong foundation for the country's COVID-19 response. Kenya confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on March 12, 2020. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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CDC worked with the PHEOCs to develop COVID-19 situation reports, monitor rumors, set up a call hotline, improve surveillance, and manage human resources for COVID-19 across Kenya. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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man testing in lab
CDC and Kenya's 40-years of collaborative work shows the importance of trusted partnerships to build sustainable public health capacity that informs global health response. Surveillance and laboratory platforms in Kenya were quickly adapted to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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CDC Kenya acting Country Director Dr. Amy Herman-Roloff said, "CDC supported Kenya's port health authorities to slow the spread of COVID-19, to monitor disease progression, and to train public health employees positioned at more than 20 points of entry, such as airports, land borders, and ports." Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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Dr. Charles Mulwa, epidemiologist at the Kenya National PHEOC
Dr. Charles Mulwa, epidemiologist at the Kenya National PHEOC, received training in the United States. "I was among four Kenyans who traveled to CDC's headquarters in Atlanta to participate in the public health emergency management fellowship," Mulwa said. "In Kenya, CDC trained national and county staff on how to use data in decision making, a key function of disease surveillance and response." Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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The PHEOC expansion during COVID-19 response allowed for better coordination between regional and the national PHEOCs during an especially critical time. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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woman at vaccine location
The national PHEOC also played a key role when the U.S. government donated 10 million vaccines to Kenya through the COVAX initiative. This donation accounted for 39% of all vaccines donated to the country. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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CDC and Kenya continue to strengthen the country's capacity to detect, prevent and respond to public health threats. When countries control local and national public health threats, they lower the chance of an outbreak spreading worldwide. Photo: Santos Sanchez/CDC
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Content Source:
Global Health Center