Survey Shows Good, Bad and Ugly of Kenya's Covid-19 Year

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about "an unparalleled stretch" on the Kenyan healthcare system, the 2021 Economic Survey report states. The survey, released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), notes that containment measures like banning international flights, night to dawn curfew, as well as restrictions on movement  have had a devastating effect on the health sector, with a reported drop in in demand for healthcare services across the country.

The report further indicates that there was a general decline in the uptake of modern contraceptives, as deliveries in health facilities increased by 1.8% to 1.2 million in 2020. Normal deliveries accounted for 82.8% of the new births.

Meanwhile, the education sector recorded a 10.7% decline in 2020, the second biggest drop after accommodation and food services sector, according to the survey. It was a tough year that saw learning institutions closed from mid-March to October 2020, when tertiary institutions and matric classes reopened. The sector's contribution to the Gross Domestic Product reduced by 10.7% as teachers and other staff lost jobs, some schools closed while others were unable to pay their creditors.

However, increased investment in construction, as Covid-19 ravaged the country, saved a portion of the economy in 2020, creating thousands of new job opportunities as other sectors suffered. Construction - ranging from roads, railway lines and houses - provided a lifeline to over 60,000 Kenyans to earn a living. The Economic Survey 2021 reports that wage employment in the construction sector grew by 33% from 173,300 persons in 2019 to 230,500 persons in 2020.