How Govt is strengthening national Ebola preparedness & strategic response capacity

Kenya has intensified public health surveillance and disease monitoring at all national Points of Entry (PoEs).

The Ministry of Interior in a statement on Monday, September 16, confirmed that no positive Ebola cases have been recorded in Kenya.

To support early detection and prompt diagnosis, the ministry noted that four testing facilities including the National Public Health Laboratory, KEMRI Nairobi, KEMRI Kisumu, and a dedicated mobile laboratory for Busia and Bungoma have been fully operationalized.

Health care worker training, simulation exercises, stakeholder sensitization and operationalisation of isolation facilities are also ongoing, according to the ministry.

Further, travellers and conveyances are being screened alongside the sensitization of travellers and border community members.

In addition, multi-agency teams led by KDF, NPS and NGAOs have also been trained for enhanced surveillance at informal crossing points, truck driver stopovers and other entry points.

At the same time, KEMRI has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Ministry of Health and county governments in strengthening Kenya's national preparedness against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), following recent outbreaks in neighboring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Speaking during an extensive preparedness assessment tour of Busia County, Acting Vice Chancellor and CEO KEMRI, Prof. Elijah Songok, emphasized the Institute’s capacity to support the country in epidemic preparedness, outbreak response, and high-risk pathogen management.

He also noted that the Institute’s advanced laboratory infrastructure, specialized scientific expertise, and expanding biocontainment capabilities position Kenya among the leading countries in regional outbreak readiness.

“KEMRI remains fully committed to supporting the Ministry of Health and county governments in protecting Kenyans from emerging and re-emerging infectious disease threats. Our scientific capacity, surveillance systems, laboratory infrastructure, and highly trained personnel remain critical national assets in safeguarding public health,” said Prof. Songok.

KEMRI has been at the forefront of Kenya's response to major infectious disease outbreaks, including Rift Valley Fever, Yellow Fever, Marburg, Cholera, and COVID-19.

The Institute provides scientific leadership across disease surveillance, rapid diagnostics, genomic sequencing, outbreak containment, and healthcare worker training.

Beyond emergency response, KEMRI advances national preparedness by manufacturing local diagnostic kits and disinfectants, while participating in global clinical trials for emerging vaccines and therapeutics.

Prof. Songok emphasized that advanced high-containment laboratories form the foundation of KEMRI’s preparedness strategy, as pathogens like the Ebola virus require strict biosafety conditions for safe handling.

“KEMRI hosts the majority of Kenya’s high-containment laboratory facilities, including Biosafety (BSL-3) laboratories, making the Institute a critical national asset in the safe diagnosis, analysis, and management of dangerous pathogens,” he said.

These high-containment laboratories enable swift threat detection and confirmation while safeguarding lab personnel, healthcare workers, nearby communities, and the environment.

Additionally, they drive advanced pathogen research, characterization, and surveillance to directly inform public health actions during outbreaks.

The VC further visited the proposed Ebola isolation facility at Alupe Sub-County Hospital, where discussions focused on infrastructure requirements and opportunities for strengthening local response capacity.

He noted that KEMRI has already activated key response measures to support national preparedness efforts and remains on high alert to provide scientific, technical, and operational support should the need arise.

Health officials have emphasized that heightened surveillance is a preventive measure to safeguard the public rather than a cause for alarm.

Citizens and travelers are urged to maintain high standards of personal hygiene, report any sudden onset of unexplained fever or illness to nearby health facilities, and rely on official government updates for verified information.