Health CS Aden Duale Convenes High-Level Meeting To Review Ebola Preparedness

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale today led a high-stakes consultative meeting at Afya House with senior officials from the United States government, global health implementing partners, and regional stakeholders. The urgent convention aimed to meticulously evaluate Kenya’s national readiness framework in light of a growing regional outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (BEVD).

Although the Ministry of Health confirmed that Kenya has zero recorded cases of the lethal virus, the government has placed all points of entry and border counties on high alert. CS Duale emphasized that proactive, aggressive preparedness remains the nation’s absolute best defense against importation, noting that early detection frameworks save more lives than reactive medical deployments.

To optimize resource distribution, the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI), utilizing its specialized Incident Management System, has formally mapped out 25 high-risk counties. These regions, predominantly encompassing border hubs and transit corridors, will receive immediate technical assistance, expanded laboratory equipment, and emergency funding. Currently, Kenya’s overall Ebola preparedness score stands at 66%, showing solid operational capacity but revealing distinct windows of vulnerability.

During the session, Duale explicitly identified critical gaps that require immediate partner intervention. These include shortfalls in isolated case management, strict infection prevention protocols, frontline health workforce surge capacity, and sustainable emergency finance models. The Ministry called on international partners to expedite the physical delivery of advanced Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and assist in establishing high-tech isolation facilities. The US delegation, led by acting CDC Kenya Country Director Dr. Jennifer Galbraith, pledged continued financial and epidemiological support to secure East Africa’s health architecture