Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Health Aden Duale during the African Union High-Level Virtual Summit meeting on the escalating Ebola Bundibugyo /HANDOUT
Aden Duale has emphasised Kenya’s heightened state of preparedness in responding to the escalating Ebola outbreak affecting parts of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Duale spoke at the the African Union High-Level Virtual Summit on the outbreak attended by leaders.
The summit, convened by the African Union and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), brought together Heads of State, government leaders and global health partners to coordinate a unified continental response to the health emergency.
Duale said Kenya had already strengthened key public health systems to guard against cross-border transmission, including enhanced surveillance at points of entry, improved laboratory capacity and readiness to deploy health experts if needed.
He said Kenya remains on alert, stressing that preparedness at national level is critical in containing outbreaks before they escalate into wider regional crises.
“Kenya has taken deliberate steps to strengthen surveillance at all points of entry, enhance laboratory capacity, and ensure we are ready to support response efforts where needed,” Duale said, underscoring the country’s readiness to contribute to continental efforts.
The virtual summit focused on urgent coordination among African states as cases of Ebola Bundibugyo continue to be reported in border regions between Uganda and the DRC, raising concerns over potential regional spread.
African leaders also used the meeting to call for stronger political commitment and increased financing to support outbreak response mechanisms coordinated through Africa CDC, including the implementation of the Continental Preparedness and Response Plan.
Duale highlighted the need for Africa to reduce dependence on external medical supply chains, warning that the continent must invest more in local manufacturing capacity for vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
“The outbreak is a stark reminder that Africa must strengthen its ability to produce vaccines, diagnostics and other essential medical supplies if we are to respond effectively to future health emergencies,” he said.
Kenya also reiterated its solidarity with Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, assuring support for frontline health workers as continental coordination efforts intensify.
Health experts at the summit warned that porous borders and high population movement in the Great Lakes region could accelerate transmission if response measures are not swiftly reinforced, reinforcing calls for a unified African approach to outbreak control.
