International solidarity is critical in responding to public health emergencies, especially at a time when the world continues to face multiple crises, President William Ruto said.
As a regional gateway, financial hub, and host to major international organisations, Kenya has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting regional health security following the Ebola outbreak in neighbouring countries.
Ruto on Thursday convened a high-level meeting at State House, Nairobi, bringing together ambassadors, development partners, multilateral agencies, and key stakeholders to assess Kenya’s preparedness, review the regional situation, and mobilise collective action aimed at containing the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease.
During the meeting, Ruto said Kenya had intensified surveillance and screening measures at 26 Points of Entry across the country.
“I am pleased that surveillance and screening measures have been intensified across 26 Points of Entry, with more than 58,000 travellers screened and all suspected cases tested so far returning negative. In addition, 17 isolation centres have been identified across the country,” he said.
The President noted that Kenya was working closely with international partners and regional institutions to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms.
“We are also mobilising support with development partners for affected countries and frontline response institutions, including the World Health Organization, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and the United Nations system, to strengthen surveillance, emergency response and healthcare preparedness, laboratory systems, and cross-border coordination,” he said.
Ruto expressed appreciation to representatives from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, France, Germany, China, Japan, India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Türkiye, the United Nations Office at Nairobi, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office for supporting the initiative and demonstrating commitment to regional and global health security.
The meeting agreed on the need for stronger international cooperation and cautioned against isolationism, noting that infectious disease outbreaks do not respect national borders and require coordinated regional and global responses.
Ruto reiterated that Kenya would continue acting transparently, responsibly, and decisively to safeguard lives while contributing to regional and global health security efforts.
To further strengthen preparedness and coordination, the Government announced plans to establish a National Response Committee under the leadership of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
The committee will coordinate a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response, enhance public awareness and preparedness, and mobilise technical and financial resources required to respond to any eventualities arising from the Ebola outbreak.
Kenya has provided written approval for the U.S. to open a quarantine facility in the East African nation for Americans exposed to the Ebola outbreak centred in the Democratic Republic of Congo, two U.S. officials briefed on the response said.
The authorisation grants the U.S. access to land at an air force base in Laikipia in central Kenya, one of the officials said.
Kenya had been pushing for the facility to be open to all nationalities, not just U.S. citizens.
It was not immediately clear if that would be the case.
The facility would be staffed by members of the U.S. Public Health Service, a uniformed branch of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Health ministry said it was in discussions with the U.S. and other global partners about cooperating on the response to Ebola but did not mention the plan for a quarantine facility.
One American doctor infected with Ebola and several other U.S. citizens exposed to the virus have been sent to Germany for treatment and monitoring.
Another American doctor exposed to the virus was sent to Czech Republic.
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