The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has demanded immediate transparency from the government over reported plans to establish an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility at the Laikipia Air Base, warning that doctors could stage nationwide industrial action if the process proceeds secretly.
In a statement issued on Thursday, KMPDU Secretary General Dr. Davji Atellah accused the government of conducting what he described as covert negotiations with the United States over the proposed facility without involving healthcare workers or the public.
The union’s concerns come amid reports that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering relocating Americans exposed to Ebola to Kenya for monitoring and treatment as part of broader international containment measures.
“KMPDU is calling out the hypocrisy of the ongoing backdoor negotiations between the Government of Kenya and the United States administration regarding the establishment of an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility at Laikipia Air Base,” stated Dr. Atellah.
“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.”
Dr. Atellah questioned.
He further argued that if the United States considers Ebola a major health threat, then Kenya should not be expected to shoulder the burden without adequate safeguards and public engagement.
“We demand absolute transparency from Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on why Kenya has been selected as the designated dumping ground for exposed U.S. citizens while nations directly bordering the epicentre are bypassed,” the KMPDU boss said.
“The U.S. government openly states ‘We cannot and will not allow any cases of Ebola to enter the United States.’ If it is too dangerous for America, it is too dangerous for Kenya,”added.
The doctors’ union also expressed concern over the state of Kenya’s public healthcare system, arguing that local hospitals continue to struggle with shortages of medical supplies, staffing gaps and inadequate intensive care infrastructure.
“Our public hospitals are currently structurally crippled. We lack basic diagnostic reagents, essential medicines, and functional intensive care infrastructure,” the union head said.
“You cannot manage a local health crisis by importing an international one, ” noted.
KMPDU warned that failure by the government to publicly disclose the details of the negotiations within 48 hours could trigger nationwide protests and industrial action by healthcare workers.
“Should the Ministry of Health proceed to sign away Kenya’s health security to appease foreign masters without addressing our structural healthcare shortages and staffing crises, KMPDU will mobilise nationwide industrial action,” said Dr. Atellah.
“We will protect our healthcare workers, and we will protect our country,”he added.
The union additionally objected to reports indicating that the proposed quarantine facility could largely rely on foreign medical personnel instead of Kenyan healthcare workers.
“We will not tolerate an apartheid healthcare model on Kenyan soil. If this facility is built, the Kenyan government must leverage this as a non-negotiable mandate to permanently employ the thousands of jobless Kenyan doctors and nurses into the public mainstream,” Dr. Atellah warned.
The debate intensified following reports published by The New York Times claiming the U.S. government was exploring plans to establish a monitoring and treatment centre in Kenya through coordination between the State Department, Defence Department and the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to the report, American public health officers are already undergoing training ahead of possible deployment to Kenya to manage high-risk Ebola exposure cases.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale on Wednesday confirmed that Kenya was holding discussions with the United States and other international partners on strengthening preparedness for Ebola and other emerging health threats.
“The Government of Kenya notes ongoing discussions with the U.S government and other global partners regarding international collaboration on strengthening preparedness and response mechanisms for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) and other emerging public health threats,” said Duale.
He maintained that any cooperation would strictly follow Kenya’s laws and public health regulations.
“Any arrangements regarding international health cooperation will be guided by Kenya’s national laws, public health regulations, biosafety and biosecurity standards, and the overriding responsibility of the Government to safeguard the health and welfare of the people of Kenya.”
The CS also noted saying that Kenya had already heightened surveillance measures at border points and activated emergency response systems following Ebola outbreaks reported within the region.
