Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku, has urged the Kenya Red Cross Society to pursue accreditation from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to strengthen climate resilience in Kenya. Speaking at the World First Aid Day 2025 celebrations in Nairobi, Ruku emphasized the importance of the GCF in supporting climate-responsive health and disaster preparedness systems.
Ruku noted that he first proposed the idea while serving as a Member of Parliament but received limited support. “Perhaps the issue wasn’t well understood,” he remarked. “I now reiterate, as Cabinet Secretary, that securing this accreditation is essential for building climate-resilient communities.”
The GCF, the world’s largest climate finance mechanism, supports transformative climate action in developing countries. Ruku stressed the need for Kenya Red Cross to leverage the fund’s partnership-driven model to improve emergency response systems and reduce vulnerabilities exacerbated by floods, droughts, and landslides.
The First Aid Day event, themed “First Aid and Climate Change,” ran alongside the National First Aid Competition and highlighted the urgent need for adaptive health systems. Ruku called on humanitarian organizations to collaborate in creating a cost-effective, coordinated disaster preparedness framework to eliminate duplication and maximize impact.
He also announced that the State Department for Special Programmes would convene a multi-agency meeting in line with Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, which prioritizes disaster response. “Aligning our resources and strategies is key to serving vulnerable communities more effectively,” he said.
Ruku encouraged Kenya Red Cross to partner with the Global Centre for Adaptation (GCA), under construction at the Kenya School of Government, to drive research, innovation, and policy in climate adaptation. He also proposed collaboration with the National Youth Service (NYS) and the Kenya School of Government to conduct joint training and disaster response drills.
Later, Ruku visited victims of the Mukuru Kwa Njenga fire tragedy and reaffirmed government commitment to rapid relief in climate-affected regions. “The intersection of first aid and climate change reveals that this is not just an environmental crisis—it is a public health crisis,” he concluded.
