Duale: Laikipia Ebola facility will serve all patients, not just Americans

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has moved to allay public concerns over the planned Ebola quarantine and treatment facility at Laikipia Airbase.

Duale insisted that the centre will be open to all patients in need of care and will not be reserved for United States citizens.

Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV, Duale said the facility will form part of Kenya’s broader strategy to strengthen preparedness against potential Ebola outbreaks and will be managed by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

“The facility will take in all patients and will be manned by the Kenya Defence Forces,” Duale said.

He expressed confidence in the military’s ability to handle the specialised health centre, noting that the KDF has one of the country’s strongest medical units.

“KDF has one of the most robust medical wings led by a major general,” he said.

The CS revealed that the United States government has committed Sh1.7 billion towards supporting Kenya’s public health preparedness efforts. According to Duale, the support is similar to assistance previously provided to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), among other institutions.

He said the funding and partnerships are aimed at helping Kenya improve its capacity to detect, isolate and manage infectious disease outbreaks before they escalate into national emergencies.

“There are countries that are pledging reagents for the laboratories. We are preparing the country in the event of a large-scale outbreak,” Duale said.

At the same time, the Health CS cautioned politicians against using the matter for political gain, arguing that public health issues should be handled responsibly and based on facts rather than speculation.

The government recently announced plans to establish a specialised health facility at the military installation in Laikipia in partnership with the United States government.

The facility is intended to strengthen monitoring, isolation and emergency response capabilities in the event of an Ebola outbreak.

The announcement came amid heightened concern over the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has prompted countries across the region to review their preparedness measures.

However, the project has generated controversy in some quarters. A recent agreement involving the establishment of a 50-bed Ebola quarantine facility for exposed American citizens at Laikipia Airbase faced legal challenges, leading to intervention by the courts.

The High Court temporarily suspended aspects of the arrangement following objections from local activists and medical unions, who raised concerns over transparency, public participation and the implications of hosting such a facility.

Despite the concerns, Duale maintained that the Laikipia centre is only one component of a larger national preparedness programme.

He disclosed that the government is setting up 11 specialised centres across the country to improve Kenya’s readiness for potential Ebola outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

The government’s renewed focus on preparedness comes as international health organisations continue to warn about the risks posed by Ebola. Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has described the rapid spread of the disease in parts of the DRC as a deeply alarming situation requiring coordinated regional action.