A court in Kenya has temporarily halted plans by the United States to establish an Ebola quarantine facility for American citizens in the East African country following growing public concern over possible infection risks.
The proposed 50-bed isolation centre, which was expected to begin operations on Friday, was reportedly intended for US citizens believed to have been exposed to Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
According to reports, the facility would be managed by American medical personnel.
A rights organisation, Katiba Institute, filed a petition challenging the arrangement, warning that the project posed “grave and imminent risks” to public health.
In response, High Court Judge Patricia Nyaundi ordered that no Ebola-related facility linked to a foreign government should operate in Kenya until the matter is fully heard in court.
The judge restrained authorities from “establishing, operationalising, facilitating, approving or permitting” any Ebola quarantine or treatment centre connected to the US or any foreign government.
The court also prohibited Kenyan authorities from admitting anyone infected with or exposed to Ebola under the proposed arrangement.
Although the precise location of the facility was not officially disclosed, lawmakers from Laikipia County reportedly objected after speculation emerged that the centre could be situated in their area.
The lawmakers questioned the rationale behind the plan, saying they saw “no logic” in Kenya or Laikipia hosting such a medical facility.
US officials defended the proposal, saying the treatment centre was designed to ensure rapid care for American citizens exposed to the virus.
One American official said, “The first group has deployed. These individuals received extensive training in the use of PPE [personal protective equipment], in the use of proper quarantine techniques”.
“We’re going to be ready to take care of our citizens as needed,” the official added.
The same official explained that Kenya was selected because of “its proximity [to the location of the outbreak] and to ensure Americans can be treated in a timely manner”.
The ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has reportedly caused more than 900 infections and at least 220 deaths, while Uganda has recorded seven cases and one fatality.
The controversy surrounding the proposed centre sparked widespread criticism in Kenya, with many citizens expressing fears online about whether the country had the capacity to safely manage Ebola cases.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union accused the government of holding “backdoor negotiations” and demanded immediate disclosure of any agreements tied to the plan.
The union said it was “utterly disgusted” by what it described as attempts to compromise Kenya’s biosecurity in exchange for foreign support.
“If it is too dangerous for America, it is too dangerous for Kenya,” the union declared.
KMPDU Secretary General Davji Bhimji Atellah also criticised the arrangement.
“We will not sit back and watch Kenya be treated as a containment colony for a lethal pathogen that we did not generate,” he said.
The union further objected to reports that the facility could be operated mainly by US personnel rather than Kenyan healthcare workers.
“We will not tolerate an apartheid healthcare model on Kenyan soil,” KMPDU warned.
The medical union issued the Kenyan government a 48-hour ultimatum to release details of the negotiations or risk industrial action nationwide.
“Kenya is a sovereign republic, not a geopolitical isolation ward,” the group added.
Meanwhile, William Ruto addressed foreign diplomats in Nairobi on Thursday, stressing the importance of international cooperation on public health matters, though he did not directly mention the proposed US facility.
“We agreed on the importance of cooperation and avoiding isolationism, recognising that public health threats do not respect borders and require coordinated regional and global action,” Ruto said.
“Kenya will continue to act transparently, responsibly, and decisively to protect lives while contributing to regional and global health security,” he added.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also reportedly spoke with Ruto and announced that Washington would provide $13.5 million to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts as part of a wider $112 million regional response package.
