Home KENYA NEWS Kenyan Scientist Prof. Kariuki Njenga to Oversee Establishment of US-Funded Research Centre

Kenyan Scientist Prof. Kariuki Njenga to Oversee Establishment of US-Funded Research Centre

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Kenyan Scientist Prof. Kariuki Njenga to Oversee Establishment of US-Funded Research Centre

The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) is set to put up a Sh1.8 billion research center for emerging diseases such as Covid-19 in Kenya.

Kenyan virology professor Kariuki Njenga has been tasked to oversee the establishment of the Centre for Research in Emerging Infectious Diseases—East and Central Africa (Creid-Eca). The facility will research viruses such as the Rift Valley Fever and the coronavirus. 

Prof. Kariuki is a senior researcher at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) and a professor at Washington State University in the US.

The project will be funded by the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Niaid), which is part NIH.

Niaid director Dr. Anthony Fauci said studies carried out by the Kariuki-led center will help increase the world’s preparedness for future outbreaks.

“The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic serves as a potent reminder of the devastation that can be wrought when a new virus infects humans for the first time … the Creid network will enable early warnings of emerging diseases wherever they occur, which will be critical to rapid responses,” Dr. Fauci said.

Prof. Kariuki and his team are also expected to “develop reagents and diagnostic assays to improve detection of emerging pathogens and study human immune responses to new or emerging infectious agents.”

Prof. Kariuki was last year inducted into the National Academy of Sciences in the US for his contribution to human medicine.

8 COMMENTS

  1. Kenya government hates…
    Kenya government hates kenyan doctors.

    Eventually the Kenyan government will kill him.

    Kenyan doctors need to exit the Kenyan health ministry.

    They should go and work in other countries. Kenya government will always terrorize Kenyan doctors.

  2. Where is his royalty, to the…
    Where is his royalty, to the Western nation or to the Black nation? Nothing can both be and not be!! Whose pain do you feel? We will watch and see!!!
    Good luck Prof. Kariuki!!

  3. Where is his royalty, to the…
    Where is his royalty, to the Western nation or to the Black nation? Nothing can both be and not be!! Whose pain do you feel? We will watch and see!!!
    Good luck Prof. Kariuki!!

    • True story – While working…
      True story – While working at the US Embassy in Nairobi, Dr. Njenga was once caught up in a public dispute involving a piece of land in Kabete. A bunch of people, including Dr. Njenga, were arrested and locked up in Kabete Police Station. On learning of his arrest, the Embassy sent fully armed US marines to seek his release. The Kabete OCS was so rattled that he released Dr. Njenga immediately. The joke around Kabete where he frequents is not to mess with him unless you are ready to face US Marines.

      • Clearly shows that the US…
        Clearly shows that the US does value his contribution. Lets hope Kenya will one day value the same.

        • I think he had diplomatic…
          I think he had diplomatic immunity at that time. I am not aware of his current status.

  4. Please mr president stop…
    Please mr president stop this so called mzungu funded useless researchers.Americans r dying daily like chickens due to covid yet it’s gavaments is sinking monies in kenya.If I was president I will stop such nonsense juu it will milk kenyans or used to spy on our kenyans researchers.Kweli sisi mablackii wr cursed.We need to say no to this foreign menance.

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