Kenya: Cooperation toward Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)

Planting trees during KEMRI's opening ceremony

• Over the past around 40 years, JICA has continued to provide support for KEMRI as a core research institute, by way of intangible cooperation through five technical cooperation projects and tangible cooperation through three Official Development Assistance (ODA) grant aids.
• Since 2009, JICA has provided support for the implementation of two joint research cooperation programs (numerous joint research programs with international organizations and universities around the world).

KEMRI's contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Consultation between Japanese experts and KEMRI personnel

• At its peak, 50% of the COVID-19 PCR tests in Kenya were processed at KEMRI.
• KEMRI has been commissioned by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) to carry out performance tests on testing kits.

JICA's cooperation

Development of Kenyan researchers

• (Support on COVID-19 measures) Provision of supplies and equipment including testing kits and testing consumables.
• (Ongoing) Accepting international students for human resource development in the field of infectious disease control
• (Developing) Technical cooperation/ODA grant aid toward strengthening KEMRI's research, training, and human resource development

Impact on neighboring countries

Research cooperation between Japanese research institutes and KEMRI

• KEMRI has implemented programs to strengthen testing capacity for infectious diseases in six countries in Eastern Africa and played a leadership role in regional infectious disease control.

JICA's cooperation

Production department

• (Ongoing) Third Country Training of Strengthening Laboratory Preparedness for Building Resilience against Public Health Emergencies in Eastern Africa

Training for Eastern African countries