Private sector partnerships will help Kenya win war against Covid-19

The fight against coronavirus was recently intensified, with cases rising across the country. President Uhuru Kenyatta warned that the battle against the virus will be long. He said the virus will affect both our people and economy.

Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned Kenyans about the severity of the virus.

“Please, do not wait to hear of death near you for you to realise that this disease is not a joke,” he said.

SIX DEAD
With six dead and the number of infected entering triple digits, the government is continuing to explore ways of fighting the virus.

We are all familiar with the measures being implemented to keep Kenyans safe, such as social distancing and the dusk to dawn curfew.

Besides, the government has been working to identify international partners who can help Kenyans get through these difficult times. The president’s extensive relationship with the private sector is already well known, having leveraged these contacts on a number of occasions to further domestic development projects.

The coronavirus crisis has provided us with an additional opportunity to leverage these public-private partnerships.

MEDICAL PERSONNEL
The American Chamber of Commerce in Kenya this week put out a statement that American companies, such as Johnson and Johnson, Microsoft and even Coca Cola have expressed interest in doing whatever they can to ease the plight of our country in these difficult times.

Coca Cola, for example, has offered to provide hydration to medical personnel as well as the Kenyan Red Cross workers currently risking their lives to keep us safe.

This may seem like a trivial contribution, but every bit helps. With private companies providing much needed supplies, such as drinks, to those health-care workers on the front lines of this battle, the government can reallocate resources to other sectors that are in need.

Psychologically, one of the most important aspects of successfully persevering through a crisis of this magnitude, is maintaining a semblance of normal life, particularly for youth.

Enabling our children to continue their education is one such way of doing so.

It is also imperative to make sure that this crisis, which may last a few months, does not harm the education of the future generation.

Technology is of course necessary in this regard. Long distance learning is the only way to maintain social distancing requirements while allowing children to continue learning.

Kenya’s close relations with major international companies have again proven to be the best way to support this.

Technological giants with a presence in our country have generously offered to enable long distance learning by providing access to platforms integral for this.

Microsoft recently agreed to provide access to its Microsoft Teams platform. Google has offered to step up as well and will make its Google Hangouts tool available to educational institutions for video conferencing. They have also offered to help the Ministry of Education use YouTube for the broadcasting of live lessons.

It is always refreshing to see the ability of global leaders in the private sector see beyond pure profit considerations and step up to support everyday civilians in their time of need.

GLOBAL BATTLE
This support should not be taken for granted. Companies are doing their best to assist in the global battle against coronavirus.

Given limited resources, they must focus this support in particular places.

Kenya has benefited from such resources due both to our president’s close personal relationship many top executives, and their trust in him to deliver.
The support from prominent companies should also be seen as a vote of confidence in our president’s battle against graft.

After all, they would not be making donations if they felt these would just be pocketed by corrupt officials.

Those who mocked the president for his extensive foreign travel are now seeing the payoff from the connections cultivated during these trips.
No price can be place on the value of these.

International networks are essential for business. They are even more essential for the successful running of a country.

We live in a global village in which we cannot help but be dependent on others. We Kenyans should remember those that supported us during our time of need. They are the true friends of our nation.