KMPDU urges full disclosure of government health agreement on Ebola preparedness

Concerns have been raised over Kenya’s readiness to deal with a possible Ebola outbreak, with doctors warning that emergency health plans and international arrangements linked to quarantine and disease control must be fully disclosed and guided by law.

Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union Secretary General Davji Atellah has called for transparency in a reported government-to-government health agreement tied to Ebola preparedness, saying such deals should not be handled in secrecy given their impact on public health and national procedures.

Speaking on Radio Generation on Monday, Atellah said preparedness should be treated as a continuous responsibility rather than a response triggered by crisis situations. He argued that Kenya’s health system should be strengthened in advance instead of waiting for emergencies to expose existing weaknesses.

“Preparedness is not an event, it’s a process, and it’s a process that should not always become a reactionary issue,” he said, stressing that planning and response systems should already be in place long before any suspected outbreak.

He questioned whether the country is truly prepared to handle a serious Ebola case, pointing to gaps in staffing levels, infrastructure, and intensive care capacity in public hospitals. According to him, the current state of health facilities already places pressure on patients even in normal circumstances.

“If you give me a scale of one to ten to look at preparedness, it all boils down to what the government is doing on that particular aspect,” he said.

https://twitter.com/RadioGenKe/status/2061354973359640707

Atellah said effective management of highly infectious diseases like Ebola depends heavily on isolation units, trained staff, and properly equipped intensive care facilities. He warned that many hospitals are already overstretched, raising doubts about how they would cope under outbreak pressure.

He described the current hospital situation as strained, saying access to care is already difficult for many patients. “You have to wait for patients to die for you to get a bed,” he said, pointing to pressure on bed capacity and critical care services.

The union leader further raised questions over proposed quarantine arrangements reported in parts of the country, including Laikipia, linking them to broader preparedness plans for cross-border health risks. He called for clarity on whether such arrangements follow constitutional processes and protect national interests.

Atellah insisted that any health security agreement involving external partners must be openly explained to the public and anchored in law, warning against rushed or unclear commitments during emergency planning.

He also emphasized that Ebola care relies mainly on supportive treatment rather than direct cure, which makes intensive care units and trained personnel central to survival outcomes.

“There is no treatment per se, there is no drug… it’s more of ICU,” he said, adding that managing such cases requires more medical staff than standard hospital conditions allow.

He warned that the health system is already under strain, raising concern about how it would respond if a large outbreak occurred. “We must have the facilities that have that ability,” he said.

Atellah further questioned the country’s ability to quickly mobilize resources in the event of a health emergency. “What about if there’s an outbreak? Where are we going to get together?” he posed.

The remarks come at a time when the government has been linked to discussions on strengthening Ebola preparedness measures, including possible quarantine infrastructure, as part of broader efforts to manage infectious disease threats.