Government sets aside Sh1.5 billion to fight aflatoxin

Kenya: The Government has allocated more than Sh1.5 billion to step up the fight against aflatoxin.

In recommendations made after a Cabinet meeting chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi on Thursday, the Government said the amount will be spent in a span of two years across all affected counties.

"Cabinet approved up-scaling of interventions for Aflatoxin contamination prevention and control in prone counties and a total of Sh1,051,089,500 to be spent over a span of two financial years," Cabinet said in a statement.

In their first meeting this year, Cabinet noted that the country faces a number of challenges in post-harvest management of produce which include unpredictable weather patterns due to global climate change and poor and inadequate on-farm storage structures.

Cabinet also announced the approval of the recent deployment of health workers to assist in the control of Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and the opening of Kenyan Embassies in Cuba and Angola. Kenya committed to contribute a team of 15 medical doctors and 300 other health workers to support Ebola containment in West Africa.

"Cuba has expressed her willingness to collaborate with Kenya in various sectors including education, health, biotechnology, trade and industry, sports, sugar processing, culture, information and communication," the statement read.

The opening of an Embassy in Luanda, Cabinet said, will solidify Kenya's presence in the Southern Africa region.

"The Mission will serve the interests of Kenyans who are working, studying and transiting through Angola, to other African countries, in particular, through the provision of consular services," Cabinet said.

Already, 170 medics comprising doctors, clinical officers, public health officers and laboratory technicians have been deployed in West Africa.