Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has announced fresh measures to strengthen Kenya’s readiness against Ebola, saying the country cannot afford to lower its guard as neighbouring countries continue to battle the Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (BEVD) outbreak.
Although no case has been reported in Kenya, Duale said health authorities are treating the regional situation with urgency and have intensified efforts aimed at preventing the virus from crossing into the country.
The CS spoke on Thursday after leading a consultative meeting that brought together representatives from the United States Government, development partners and other stakeholders to assess the country’s level of preparedness and agree on priority actions.
The meeting examined progress made so far, reviewed areas requiring immediate attention and reaffirmed a joint commitment to ensuring all preparedness efforts are coordinated under a common national framework.
Duale said the Ministry of Health is strengthening surveillance systems, screening activities at points of entry, laboratory services and emergency response structures to improve the country’s ability to quickly identify and contain any potential outbreak.
He maintained that preparedness remains the most reliable way to protect the country from emerging health threats and stressed the need for continued vigilance.
Under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), the government has continued investing in health security programmes through enhanced disease monitoring, improved border screening, expanded testing capacity, emergency coordination systems and support for frontline healthcare workers.
According to Duale, these interventions have strengthened Kenya’s ability to respond effectively to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.
The Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI), through its Incident Management System, has identified 25 counties that will receive targeted preparedness support due to their heightened risk of exposure.
Data from the Ministry of Health shows that Kenya’s Ebola preparedness score currently stands at 66 per cent, indicating notable progress while also pointing to areas that require additional attention and resources.
Despite the gains made, Duale acknowledged that challenges remain in key areas such as case management, infection prevention and control, rapid deployment of response teams, health workforce surge capacity and sustainable funding for preparedness programmes.
“He says that health preparedness must be measured through timely implementation rather than planning alone.”
The CS called on development partners to speed up support towards the establishment and equipping of isolation facilities, acquisition of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), strengthening of laboratory and surveillance systems, and deployment of trained healthcare personnel to high-risk health facilities and border points.
He said the consultative forum was important in ensuring partner support is aligned with national priorities, reducing duplication and directing resources to interventions that will have the greatest impact on public health security.
Duale also commended the continued collaboration between Kenya and the United States, noting that the partnership has supported the growth of disease surveillance systems, laboratory networks, workforce development initiatives and emergency preparedness programmes.
He further reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the use of resources through the “One Plan, One Budget and One Monitoring Framework.”
According to Duale, the framework will help ensure preparedness activities are carried out in a coordinated manner while allowing for proper monitoring of progress and results.
Among those who attended the meeting were Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga, Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, Director-General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth, Acting CDC Kenya Country Director Dr Jennifer Galbraith, Chairperson of Development Partners in Health–Kenya Brian Rettman, Acting KNPHI Chief Executive Officer Dr Kamene Kimenye, senior ministry officials and representatives of implementing partners.
The renewed push comes as health authorities continue monitoring developments across the region, with efforts focused on strengthening early warning systems, improving response capacity and ensuring the country remains prepared should the virus spread beyond affected areas. In