Duale:KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL HAS PREPARED AN 8 WARD ISOLATION ROOMS WITH 29 BEDS READY FOR EBOLA

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:06]Mr. Mr. Speaker, honorable members, I thank you honorable speaker for giving me this opportunity to appear before this house and to provide a report on Kenyan's preparedness and contain containment and management of the threat posed by Ebola virus disease following your directive during the plenary sitting of the 2nd June 2023 2026. I also acknowledge the concern raised by honorable members regarding the possibility of Ebola virus disease importation into the country, the establishment of a current and isolation centers in Kenya, the preparedness of public health facilities and the nature of the regional and international coordination mechanism.

[00:00:57]From the onset, I wish to assure this house and the people of Kenya that the country has not recorded any confirmed case of Ebola virus disease as of 3rd of June 2026.

[00:01:13]The government is however treating the regional outbreak with a serious seriousness it deserves because Ebola is a severe disease with high fatality and huge public health threat and Kenyan's position as a regional aviation trade transport and diplomatic hub places the country at increased risk of importation of the disease.

[00:01:44]Honorable speaker, the epicenter of this outbreak is in DRC and Congo. As per our last situational update, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported 1,083 suspected cases and 259 deaths. Of these, 321 cases are laboratory confirmed with 48 confirmed deaths. A total of 2,746 contacts have been listed for followup.

[00:02:18]Uganda has reported 12 confirmed cases and two deaths with 642 contacts listed for followup.

[00:02:28]Honorable speaker, this disease is associated with the bundy's species of Ebola virus. This is significant because there's currently no approved vaccine for this particular virus or for this particular species. The outbreak has also affected healthcare workers both in DRC and in Congo. In view of the regional risk, the WH declared the outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern on the 16th of May 2026 while Africa CDC declared it a public health emergency of continental security.

[00:03:14]These both declarations by WHO and Africa CDC signals an extraordinary public health event that poses a a risk to other countries and requires a coordinated international response.

[00:03:30]Kenya has therefore activated the national preparedness system in accordance with our constitutional duty to protect the right to health. our obligations under the health act 2017 and the international health regulations 2025.

[00:03:48]Honorable speaker, before I respond to the many questions that you have asked me to answer, let me just give the country what is Ebola and which which type of Ebola is this? Ebola is a severe often very fatal illness in humans.

[00:04:07]There are three different types of species there. So Ebola, Zire, Sudan virus and the current one we have which is called Bundiio virus which has the capacity to cause large outbreaks. the modes of transmission and many honorable speaker and members.

[00:04:28]The infection index from contact with the wild animals thereafter transmission occurs from person to person through blood or bodily fluids from infected persons or dead bodies. Transmission can also occur from contaminated surfaces or objects like bed linen and clothing or unsafe injection practices.

[00:04:54]What are the early signs and symptoms?

[00:04:58]The average incubation period of this particular virus Ebola virus is between 2 to 21 days. Infected people are not contagious until they develop the symptoms. Initial signs and symptoms are nonspecific.

[00:05:15]Many common infections like other disease like malaria, typhoid menitis.

[00:05:22]But the symptoms are usually of a sudden onset. They include fever, chills, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, backachche, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, weakness, skin rashes among others. Bleeding is less frequent and can occur in the latest stages of this disease.

[00:05:49]Who is at risk of infection? travelers to the affected countries like DRC and Uganda, contacts of travelers from the affected region, family members of the EB Ebola virus diseases, healthcare workers taking care of the patients with Ebola or people handling bodies of Ebola victims.

[00:06:13]How do we prevent Ebola? Early identification and prompt referral and isolation of their suspected cases.

[00:06:23]Basic universal precautions of hand hygiene and gloing in the in health setups during the routine work. Wearing of the full personal protective equipment when handling cases or suspected or confirmed Ebola. And finally to avoid contact with the bodily fruits of suspected cases.

[00:06:46]Honorable speaker, allow me now to address the questions that appeared on the letter you addressed and the first one was the measures by the government to manage and contain the threat of Ebola. Honorable speaker and members, the government has activated a whole government preparedness and response framework led by the Ministry of Health through the Kenyan National Public Health Institute. The National Ebola Incident Management System was activated on the 20th of May 2026 in order to provide a unified central command, coordination and decision making. This structure is supported both at the national and county public health emergency operation centers which remain on high alert mode. Two, under this arrangement, we have also strengthened our surveillance of health facilities within our communities and the points of entry. We have issued advisories to all the 47 counties covering Ebola case definitions, infections prevention, control reporting protocols, guidance on isolation, sample referral, contact tracing among others.

[00:08:08]Our rapid respond teams, honorable speaker, have been placed on standby for deployment where alerts are reported.

[00:08:17]Government has also enhanced screening at our 26 official points of entry including our international airports land border crossings. As of yesterday 2nd June 2026 71,243 travelers have been screened.

[00:08:40]cumulatively including the 256 travelers who were screened in the last 24 hours. Screening focuses particularly on travelers from the affected countries and high risk travel routes. To date, honorable speaker, the national surveillance system has captured and investigated 20 22 suspected alerts from across the country. All of them have tested negative. These alerts were reported from Nairobi, Kimbu, Wasingishu, Neri, Nakuru, Nyamira, Westpakot, Kisumu and Bung. In the last 24 hours, three alerts from Nairobi, while Singishu and Bung were investigated and they were confirmed negative.

[00:09:35]Honorable speaker, the ministry has also operationalized the public communication mechanism including the national number toll number 719 which is our public health hotline to facilitate communities to report to do public inquiry and to give health advisory.

[00:09:55]Public messaging is being disseminated through the national and the county channels in order to educate the public on the risk factors. Honorable speaker, the second area you told me to address through the letter from parliament was the preparedness of the public health facilities, the isolation units, the medical facilities and trained personnel. Honorable speaker, the house specifically requested a report on the level of preparedness of public health facilities including isolation units, medical facilities and trained personnel. And I want to confirm that the Ministry of Health has undertaken facility readiness assessment and continue to strengthen capacity at the national referral facilities and in counties considered at high risk. At the national level, Kenyata National Hospital has has prepared an 8 bed isolation and treatment unit and completed a dry run of how the index case will be handled. The facility has a separate waste management system to support the safe handling of infectious waste. The National Police Service Hospital has been assessed and has 49 beds ready for activation as part of the SGE isolation capacity.

[00:11:19]At the county level, 29 counties have identified designated isolation and treatment sites.

[00:11:28]The minister of health.