KEMRI WINS AN AWARD FOR ITS INNOVATIONS

KEMRI scooped the Adjudicators Award for diagnostic Innovations, at the just concluded Africa Public Service Day three day celebrations marked at the KICC, Nairobi.

The celebrations graced by the head of Public Service Dr.Joseph Kinyua who represented President, Uhuru Kenyatta, KEMRI saw KEMRI receive the Adjudicators Award for Innovations, PlasmoCheck-Malaria rapid test kit, Virus Transport Media (VTM) and KEMCov-19 COVID -19 PCR test kit in the well-attended event dubbed Africa Public Service Day: 10 years And Beyond. The three-day event was geared towards celebrating public servants and the services they offer to the public. The Institute is in the forefront in innovating tools and technologies that will make diagnostics and testing easier and fast.

Presenting the award to Mr. Anthony Wachira, who was representing KEMRI’s Acting  Director General, Prof Sam Kariuki, the head of Public Service Dr. Joseph Kinyua said that, the outbreak of COVID 19 taught all of us the importance of self-reliance and having  working systems in place to help in offering public services to the public. “It is the civil servants who help in making a difference in this nation and in ensuring that all the goals and aspirations are met.” He said adding that the forum offers public servants an opportunity to come together and reflect on their achievements, challenges and showcase their innovations.

“The celebrations come at a time when countries in the world are battling COVID 19, we all learnt  the importance of having an agile public service. Many  opportunities for creativity were created leading to the enhancement of  the country’s e- citizen services thereby improving and bringing closer service delivery to the people. He added.

During her address to the, the Cabinet Secretary, Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programs Prof. Margret Kobia appreciated the exemplary work civil servants particularly KEMRI exhibited during the COVID 19 pandemic by going out of their way to work and deliver in very risky situations. She however challenged all the civil servants to be ‘servants to the public’ by ensuring an apt service delivery in all the aspect of public service.

Prof. Kobia urged all the public servants to embrace technology, and work on innovating advanced technologies that will enable the government push through its agenda in the provision of services to the citizens.