Kemri board chair said budget already set aside for the research centre to be built

The Kenya Medical Research Institute KEMRI will soon be setting up a new research centre in Uasin Gishu County, Board chair Abdullahi Ali has said.

Speaking in Eldoret when he led a delegation from Kemri on a courtesy call to the County Headquarters, Dr Ali revealed that a budget has already been set aside to ensure that a research centre is immediately established in Eldoret.

“Being a regional leader in researching human health we cooperate with other organizations and institutions on research and training,” he said.

“Eldoret is a key component of interest as it stands as a centre for athletics and sports development, hence issues concerning doping must be considered in research. Eldoret also hosts many institutions of higher learning, and has a high cosmopolitan population, factors that set precedence for health research, ” Dr Ali added.

Uasin Gishu County secretary Edwin Bett, who received the delegation on behalf of the county governor said the county government will give land for the establishment of the research centre as this would benefit the residents immensely.

“We are the central reference point in the medical sector in the North Rift and Western region.  We host the second largest referral hospital in Kenya; Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, MTRH, and also a host to a large population from the Informal sector including Langas, Huruma, Maili Nne, Kapsoya and other highly populated areas that require attention to incidents of disease outbreaks such as cholera and Rift Valley fever among others,” he said.

County Executive Committee Member for Lands, Physical Planning, Housing, and Urban Development Dr Janeth Kosgei also took the team on a site visit to four parcels of public utility plots for the KEMRI team to identify the best-suited parcel for the project.

“We are keen to see that the research centre is given priority, hence we are looking at the best location that meets all its requirements including, a densely populated site, an area with readily available electricity, sewerage connection, and adequate road networks,” she said.

CECM Health Services Abraham Serem, appreciated the initiative noting the benefits that will come along with research centre will be beneficial to the residents, including a health facility that’s to be constructed within the research institution.