Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has defended the government’s decision to establish a health preparedness facility in Laikipia in partnership with the United States, dismissing claims that the centre is being set up to receive Americans exposed to Ebola from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV on May 30, 2026, Duale maintained that the facility is part of Kenya’s broader strategy to strengthen its public health emergency response and is not intended for foreign patients as alleged by critics.
“In DRC, where the epicentre of Ebola is, I had an opportunity to visit there when I was Defence CS. There are over 350 KDF soldiers working for the UN today. We have a huge population of Kenyans working in DRC,” said Duale.
He questioned the narrative that Kenya was preparing to import Ebola patients, stating that the Laikipia facility is primarily a military installation that will serve Kenyans, including members of the Kenya Defence Forces.
“Why is it said we’re bringing Ebola patients to Laikipia? The facility is a military facility. KDF soldiers and other Kenyans will use that facility,” he stated.
The Health CS emphasized that Kenya’s partnership with the United States in the health sector is longstanding and has played a significant role in strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
“If there’s one country that has contributed between 25 and 35 per cent of the health budget since independence, it is the US. That’s why today, the cooperation agreement we’ve signed is worth Ksh206 billion,” he said.
Duale noted that Kenya remains a key player in global health security due to its advanced laboratory systems and disease surveillance capacity.
“Kenya is part of the global health security system and we’re one of the countries with the best healthcare systems in terms of laboratories and surveillance,” he remarked.
Addressing concerns over transparency, Duale said the government has openly communicated its preparedness measures and is acting within the law.
“There is nothing shrouded about this Ebola quarantine process. We are putting in place 11 quarantine, isolation and treatment centres across the country as a safety measure just in case we get affected. It is our duty to ensure Kenyans are protected,” he said.
He further clarified that Laikipia is only one of several designated isolation centres and was selected because of its location away from densely populated communities.
“There is nowhere where we said we are bringing Ebola patients to Laikipia. Laikipia is one of the isolation centres and it is very far from any community,” Duale added.
According to the CS, the government has already established an Incident Management Centre and an Emergency Response Centre in Nairobi to coordinate Ebola preparedness efforts.
He revealed that more than 1,000 healthcare workers have undergone specialized training on Ebola detection, prevention and response.
Duale also disclosed that 16 individuals had so far been tested for Ebola in Kenya, with all results returning negative.
“So far, we have tested 16 people in Kenya for Ebola and luckily all of them are negative,” he said.
He reiterated that Kenyan health personnel will lead operations at the facility while working alongside their American counterparts.
“In terms of personnel, Kenyan health personnel will be leading and working together with their colleagues from the US. There is no way Kenya can be isolated from global health security,” Duale said.
The remarks come amid growing public debate over Kenya’s preparedness plans and cooperation with international partners as authorities continue to monitor the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
