Kenya’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has received a big boost with the delivery of medical equipment worth 20 million shillings from the International Atomic Energy Agency, conveyed through the Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA).

The diagnostic kits and equipment will contribute to the rapid detection and characterization of COVID-19 viruses. The capacity of the equipment is sufficient for approximately testing 2,000 samples per day. The package comprises: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the operators during sampling, sample processing and testing; Equipment for establishment/upgrade of molecular diagnostics including a thermocycler; as well as diagnostic kit for the detection of the novel coronavirus using three nuclear-derived techniques.