NAIROBI, Kenya May 28 – Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Bhimji Atellah is questioning the rationale behind Kenya’s reported selection of Laikipia Air Base as a host site for an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility for individuals exposed to the Ebola virus.
In a statement issued on May 28, Atellah expressed outrage at what the Union and accused the government of prioritising foreign interests over the safety of Kenyan citizens.
“As the vanguard of Kenya’s healthcare system, we are utterly disgusted by the government’s apparent willingness to trade national biosecurity and the lives of its citizens for foreign aid,” the union said.
KMPDU now wants Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain why Kenya was chosen over countries closer to the Ebola outbreak’s epicentre.
“We will not sit back and watch Kenya be treated as a containment colony for a lethal pathogen that we did not generate,” he added.
Attelah explained that the US has historically repatriated its citizens for treatment during previous outbreaks.
“If the United States considers a 12-hour medevac flight to Washington too risky, by what logic is it safe to fly exposed individuals into Kenya?” he queried posed.
KMPDU further demanded the immediate release of any bilateral agreements underpinning the plan.
His remarks come amid heightened public debate following reports that the United States could send Ebola-exposed individuals to Kenya for observation or treatment.
The reports have triggered anxiety online, with many Kenyans questioning whether the country has sufficient containment capacity to safely manage such cases.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Ouma Oluga insisted that Kenya’s participation in global health responses is not a matter of risk-taking but of professional responsibility grounded in experience.
“This is the time for Kenya to stand up,” he said, adding that the country’s contribution to regional and global outbreak responses reflects long-standing expertise in public health emergency management.
The Ministry of Health maintains that Kenya’s approach will remain guided by science, legal frameworks, and strict public health safeguards, even as it balances international cooperation with domestic safety concerns.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has emphasized that any such arrangement must fully comply with Kenyan law and established public health procedures, including approvals from multiple state agencies.
These include screening, quarantine systems, surveillance, and emergency response mechanisms designed to prevent outbreaks and ensure containment.
According to the Ministry of Health, any foreign nationals entering the country under health-related arrangements would be subject to legal and regulatory scrutiny involving health, immigration, and national security authorities.
