Kenyan medical workers on Saturday warned that the country is ill‑prepared to handle a possible Ebola outbreak, citing staffing shortages, inadequate critical care facilities and unclear emergency response plans.
They also demanded full disclosure of a reported agreement with the United States to establish an Ebola quarantine facility in Laikipia County.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) said the country's healthcare system remains overstretched and questioned the government's preparedness even as reports emerge of a planned Ebola quarantine facility in Laikipia for American citizens working in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking during a press briefing, KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah accused the government of focusing on arrangements for foreign nationals while failing to explain what measures have been put in place to protect Kenyans in the event of an outbreak.
“The moment we have a reported case in the country, things change. People will react with panic. What measures has the government put in place for Kenyans? Are healthcare workers trained? Are ICUs prepared? Are there facilities that have been put in place for Kenyans?" stated Dr Atellah.
He challenged authorities to explain whether intensive care units have been prepared in border regions, whether healthcare workers have received specialised training and whether sufficient facilities have been designated to handle possible infections.
“Preparations mean that in case we have infections reported in Busia or any other border region, there is infrastructure in place. Are healthcare workers trained? Are there institutions that have been prepared for Kenyans?” he asked.
“We should first have a robust healthcare system. Doctors should be employed, hospitals equipped and ICUs revived before we start discussing quarantine arrangements for foreign citizens,” he added.
KMPDU maintained that the most effective way to combat Ebola is by supporting containment efforts at the source of the outbreak in the DRC, where the disease continues to spread amid ongoing insecurity.
The union's demands come a day after a court order obtained through a petition supported by Katiba Institute directed the government to disclose details of the arrangement and halted implementation pending further proceedings.
This came as the United States increased pressure on Nairobi, signalling optimism that the objections could be resolved.
In a tweet, the acting Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, Jeremy Lewin, stated: "We are aware of the court action filed in Kenya against the Ebola isolation facility. We are in touch with the Kenyan authorities and are optimistic that we can resolve the issues."
But KMPDU maintains that the government appears more focused on public relations than on demonstrating concrete preparedness measures for Kenyan citizens.
“We do not want to be in the same situation we were in during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2019, where there was panic and reaction. During that period, many lives were lost, including those of healthcare workers. It would be catastrophic to have the same situation in 2026 while focusing on protecting only one group of citizens, namely Americans,” he said.
Dr Atellah stressed that the disease remains highly contagious and requires extensive public awareness campaigns and preparedness measures.
“It does not really matter. When a disease is contagious and we now have over 1,000 suspected cases in Congo and about 200 suspected deaths, we live in the same community and society. The same way it has spread in Congo and cases have been reported in Uganda, it can spread elsewhere,” he said.
The doctors' union further demanded full disclosure of a reported agreement between Kenya and the United States to establish an Ebola quarantine facility in Laikipia, saying Kenyans have not been given sufficient information about a plan that could have significant public health implications.
Dr Atellah accused the government of failing to consult healthcare workers and the public before reportedly agreeing to host American citizens infected with or suspected of having Ebola from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“We want the government of Kenya to come out and be transparent with the people of Kenya on the details of this particular agreement. What has been signed? What does it mean for Kenyan citizens? What measures have been put in place to protect the public?” he said.
Dr Atellah also questioned the rationale behind establishing a specialised quarantine facility for American citizens while Kenya's own healthcare system continues to struggle with staffing shortages, inadequate equipment and underfunded critical care units.
He said KMPDU was not opposed to international cooperation but argued that the government's priority should be strengthening healthcare services for Kenyans.
"If the government is focusing on one isolated functional unit in Laikipia while the rest of the country lacks adequate healthcare infrastructure, that becomes a problem," he said.
“The government needs to employ healthcare workers, revive ICUs and equip hospitals. We have doctors who have never been employed, shortages across the country and a healthcare system that is already overwhelmed,” he added.
The union further argued that any arrangement with foreign governments should include skills transfer, training opportunities and expertise exchange that would strengthen Kenya's capacity to respond to future outbreaks.
Atellah maintained that international efforts should instead be concentrated on containing the outbreak at its source in the Democratic Republic of Congo, noting that previous Ebola epidemics in West Africa were brought under control through coordinated global interventions.
"What we saw during previous outbreaks in West Africa was the mobilisation of resources to combat the disease in Liberia and neighbouring countries. That is what should be happening now in the DRC and Uganda,” he said.
He also faulted the government's handling of communication around the reported agreement, arguing that the lack of transparency had fuelled public anxiety and suspicion.
"The level of transparency being demonstrated by the Americans is different from what we are seeing from the Kenyan side. The reactions from Kenyans are because the government has not clearly communicated the contents of the agreement," he said.
