Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has said the government will proceed with plans to establish an Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki without engaging the public, stating that the urgency of the situation leaves no room for consultations.
Appearing before the National Assembly on Wednesday, June 3, Duale said the measure is aimed at strengthening Kenya’s preparedness against possible cross-border transmission of the virus.
He maintained that the responsibility to safeguard citizens lies with the state and that swift action is necessary to prevent any potential outbreak.
“Under the Public Health Act, we don’t need to do public participation; we are not going to consult citizens. Even MPs, when they fall sick, rush to the doctor to make sure they get the best treatment. This epidemic does not require any consultation,” he stated.
“Tomorrow, God forbid if Ebola is found in this country, this House will call me back here to ask why Kenyans are dying. Before Kenyans are infected, the government has a responsibility to protect them,”he said.
The CS also questioned opposition to the establishment of quarantine centres, asking where patients would be treated if counties declined to host such facilities.
“If every county refuses to set up a quarantine facility, where will we treat Kenyans? Are we going to treat them up in the air? We, as the government, have a responsibility,” he noted.
Duale further said the government could consider setting up additional isolation centres within military installations in different parts of the country if necessary, adding that such facilities would cater to both local and foreign patients.
“We can still create another isolation centre in one of our barracks in any part of the country. The facilities will be used to treat both Kenyans and foreigners. Let’s not politicise it,”he added.
He also defended the Laikipia facility, saying it would serve both Kenyan citizens and foreign nationals, including Americans.
“Laikipia will protect both Kenyans and the US citizens. When we had Covid, the UN, US and many other international bodies built a UN specialised hospital in Nairobi Hospital to deal with Covid, but there was no noise that time,”said Duale.
The remarks come amid growing public debate over Kenya’s preparedness measures for Ebola, with the government maintaining that its priority is strengthening response capacity and preventing any possible outbreak in the country.
