President Donald Trump during a past event/FILEThe United States has broken its silence on a court case challenging the proposed establishment of an Ebola treatment and isolation facility in Laikipia County, insisting that the project poses no danger to nearby communities and is critical to regional disease preparedness efforts.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the US government said it was aware of the legal challenge filed in Kenya and was working closely with the Kenyan government to address concerns raised over the project.
“We are aware of the court action filed in Kenya and are actively working with the Kenyan government to resolve any objections and communicate our shared objectives to the Kenyan people,” the statement said.
The response comes amid growing opposition from some leaders and residents over plans to establish the bio-isolation facility in Laikipia, with concerns centring on public safety, transparency and community consultation.
The US maintained that the facility is part of a broader strategy to prevent the spread of Ebola and strengthen the region's preparedness against potential outbreaks.
“The bio-isolation facility in Laikipia is part of a holistic response to prevent spread of the disease and lessen health risks for the region as a whole; it does not pose risk to nearby communities,” the statement said.
The US said its partnership with Kenya on Ebola preparedness builds on decades of cooperation in public health and disease surveillance.
“The United States and Kenya share a historic health partnership that over decades has benefitted both Americans and Kenyans. Our joint response to the current Ebola outbreak is a natural extension of our longstanding cooperation,” it said.
According to the statement, the facility will complement other preparedness measures being undertaken jointly by Kenya and international partners.
“As the health security situation evolves, we are working in tandem with Kenya and international partners to enhance protocols for detection and spread of this deadly disease,” it said.
The US further disclosed that efforts are underway to strengthen border surveillance, improve testing capacity and bolster response mechanisms in counties considered vulnerable to cross-border transmission.
“Beyond Laikipia, we are working with Kenya to enhance border detection, provide accurate testing and bolster the response in high-risk counties,” the statement said.
The US argued that expanding regional isolation and testing capacity would help Kenya preserve its existing healthcare resources while improving readiness to respond to any potential Ebola cases.
“Expanding regional capacity to isolate and test asymptomatic individuals, including Americans working on the response effort, will enhance Kenya’s readiness and preserve Kenya’s existing clinical resources to assist Kenyan citizens,” it said.
The US also highlighted its financial commitment to the Ebola response, noting that it remains the largest contributor to efforts aimed at containing the outbreak.
“The United States is proud to be the largest financial contributor to the Ebola response effort,” the statement said.
According to the Department of State, direct US assistance towards combating the outbreak has exceeded $162 million and continues to increase as implementing agencies expand operations across Africa.
“US funding is providing critical activities to stop the outbreak at its source and prevent Ebola from reaching Kenya or the United States,” the statement said.
The US added that it has also provided $350 million through humanitarian pooled funds supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and South Sudan as part of broader regional response and humanitarian programmes.
