Japan based NEC Corporation announced a collaboration between NEC XON, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the United Nations programme that promotes better quality of life for all through sustainable urbanisation, and Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), an NGO that provides emergency humanitarian assistance, reconstruction and development assistance.

Together, the organisations are providing a thermography camera in the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement in Turkana County, Kenya, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The camera is used to measure the surface body temperature of refugees and local residents living in the district and to detect persons with elevated body temperatures, thereby helping to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.

In northern Kenya, refugees have continued to flow in from neighbouring countries, including South Sudan, for approximately thirty years, and it is difficult to predict if and when they will be able to return safely.

In February 2021, with the cooperation of UN-Habitat and PWJ, NEC XON installed a thermography camera in the Kalobeyei Settlement and also conducted training on how to use it in order to resume community activities and restore operations at major facilities. The camera helps to prevent the spread of infections by measuring body surface temperatures to detect those who potentially have a fever, which enables further measures to be taken if necessary.

Going forward, NEC will continue to capitalise on its technologies and services in order to promote the resolution of challenging social issues. These efforts will include cooperation with UN organisations and NGOs to support the realisation of safe and secure conditions throughout Africa and the rest of the world, thereby contributing to the achievement of SDGs.