The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) has rejected alleged plans by the Kenyan government and the United States to establish an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility at Laikipia Air Base.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the union accused the Kenyan government of secretly negotiating the arrangement and endangering the country’s health security in exchange for foreign assistance.
Signed by the union’s Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, Davji Bhimji Atellah, the statement described the reported move as unacceptable and dangerous.
“KMPDU will not sit back and watch Kenya become a containment centre for a deadly disease that did not originate from our country,” the union stated.
The doctors questioned why Kenya was allegedly chosen to host exposed American citizens linked to the ongoing Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The union demanded full disclosure from Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the alleged negotiations.
It also criticised the safety implications of transporting potentially exposed persons into Kenyan territory, arguing that if the United States considered evacuation to Washington risky, then bringing such individuals into Kenya could not be justified.
According to KMPDU, the situation reflects double standards in global health policy.
“If Ebola cases are considered too dangerous for the United States, then they are equally too dangerous for Kenya,” the union declared.
The union further expressed concern over the condition of Kenya’s healthcare system, noting that many public hospitals lack essential drugs, diagnostic equipment and functional intensive care facilities.
It said thousands of trained doctors remain unemployed despite severe shortages in hospitals across the country.
KMPDU warned against creating what it described as a “two-tier healthcare system,” where foreign-led health operations receive priority while local healthcare needs remain neglected.
The union issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to publicly disclose details of the alleged arrangement, warning that failure to do so could lead to nationwide industrial action.
Meanwhile, health authorities across East Africa continue to monitor the Ebola situation closely following reported outbreaks in neighbouring countries.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.