Nairobi — The government is projected to spend Sh6.7 billion in a Monkey Pox (Mpox) containment plan dubbed as a three-tier response level system.

Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni Monday said a National Mpox Preparedness and Response Plan was in place to guide a coordinated public health action to stop an Mpox outbreak in Kenya.

She spoke during an assessment tour of Lasit Border Post in Loitoktok and Namanga One-Stop Border Point in Kajiado County.

"We have screened over 800,000 members of the public and travellers in all points of entry to our national laboratories," she observed.

"Of 150 samples sent to labs, we have 143 that turned negative and 2 results pending," Muthoni said.

Kenya has reported five Mpox cases since WHO declared a fresh outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.

Multi-pronged response

The Ministry of Health, according to the outlook presented by PS Muthoni, will spend Sh1.7 billion on local containment measures.

MoH will spend the funds on community-based surveillance, capacity building of health workers, provision of assorted PPEs, sanitation supplies, enhancing screening and putting up temporary isolation spaces and referral of cases.

Afya House will spend an additional Sh2.3 billion commbating regional spred with a projected Sh941 million expenditure on training of health workers as well as Sh232 million spending on the procurement of equipment and teratment commodities.

The ministry will spend Sh2.6 billion in national containment efforts involving five high-risk counties. The sum includes Sh1 billion expenditure on risk communication and community engagement and Sh191 budget for the sensitization of healthcare workers.

The Sh2.6 billion budget also covers Sh500 million for infection prevention and control, Sh90 million on contact tracing and Sh159 million earmarked for laboratory support.

The response plan seeks to reduce the risk of importation from neighboring countries that are experiencing outbreaks including Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda.

The Response plan has listed high-risk areas for the spread of Mpox to include Busia, Bungoma, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kericho, Nakuru, Kiambu, Nairobi, Machakos, Kajiado, Makueni, Taita Taveta, Kwale Kilifi and Mombasa considering them routes from Uganda to Mombasa.