Kenya is set to run a four-day national Ebola preparedness drill from June 15 to 18 in a major test of how well the country can detect, coordinate and respond to a possible outbreak, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced.
The exercise will bring together health agencies and response teams to evaluate systems that would be activated in case Ebola is detected in the country.
The planned tabletop simulation will focus on key response areas including coordination between agencies, referral pathways, laboratory capacity, and emergency response structures. Authorities say the drill is meant to expose gaps and strengthen readiness across the health system before any real outbreak occurs.
"A national tabletop exercise is scheduled for June 15 to 18, 2026, to test coordination, referral, laboratory and response systems," Duale said.
The Health Ministry says the exercise is part of wider efforts to maintain high alertness amid continued regional surveillance for Ebola and other infectious diseases. Kenya, which serves as a major travel and trade hub in the region, has been strengthening its preparedness structures in recent years.
Duale told Parliament that the country has expanded its emergency response capacity and now maintains a group of trained experts who can be deployed quickly to handle outbreaks in any part of the country.
According to him, Kenya has identified a surge capacity of 241 expert responders drawn from different specialised programmes. These include 51 alumni of the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, 118 professionals from the African Volunteer Health Corps, and 72 specialists trained in Basic Public Health Emergency Management.
"These teams are on standby for deployment to support surveillance, contact tracing, case investigation, laboratory diagnosis and field response," he said.
The specialists are expected to strengthen outbreak investigations, improve contact tracing, support laboratory confirmation of cases, and help coordinate field operations in the event of suspected or confirmed Ebola cases.
Beyond the specialist response teams, the ministry has also stepped up training for frontline health workers across both national and county levels to improve early detection and response.
Duale said 1,069 healthcare workers have already undergone sensitisation through structured online training sessions. The sessions focus on identifying Ebola cases, infection prevention and control, patient care, and reporting procedures.
In addition to the virtual training, the government has rolled out hands-on preparedness activities in selected counties that are considered high priority due to their location and cross-border movement of people.
In Busia County, which borders Uganda, 60 health workers have taken part in on-site training and simulation exercises designed to test real-time response and improve coordination during emergencies.
"On-site training and simulation drills have been undertaken in Busia, where 60 health workers have been trained, and additional exercises are ongoing or planned for Turkana and Trans Nzoia," he said.
The Health Ministry maintains that preparedness remains central to Kenya’s public health strategy, especially given the country’s role as a regional transport and trade hub where the risk of disease spread remains high.