Kenya: Duale Insists Kenya Must Close Ebola Preparedness Gaps Urgently

Nairobi — Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale says structural gaps must be urgently bridged to ensure Kenya's total readiness against a regional outbreak of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease (BEVD).

Speaking during a high-level consultative forum in Nairobi with representatives of the United States Government and key health implementing partners, Duale stressed that the time for conceptual planning has passed.

"Preparedness must be demonstrated through timely action rather than planning alone," Duale emphasized.

While Kenya has not recorded any confirmed cases of the deadly hemorrhagic fever, a multi-agency evaluation revealed that the country's national Ebola preparedness score currently stands at 66%.

"While the Ministry of Health notes this as encouraging progress, the score underscores a substantial gap that must be closed to achieve full operational readiness," Duale said.

To streamline resource allocation, the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI), utilizing its active Incident Management System, has mapped out 25 high-risk counties requiring immediate technical assistance, localized emergency funding, and intensified surveillance.

Duale challenged development partners to expedite practical support to plug these vulnerabilities before a crisis hits.

Specifically, he called for immediate resource mobilization to establish and equip isolation facilities, procure sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), strengthen laboratory systems, and rapidly deploy trained healthcare teams to high-risk border entry points.

To optimize these interventions, the Health Ministry is demanding strict alignment from its international allies, aiming to eradicate the fragmented, parallel programs that have historically clogged emergency responses.

Duale reaffirmed the Government's commitment to absolute transparency, announcing that all operations will run strictly under a unified strategy.

"The ministry will utilize the 'One Plan, One Budget and One Monitoring Framework' to ensure coordinated, efficient and measurable implementation of preparedness activities," Duale maintained.

He added that the forum was vital to harmonize partner support, eliminate duplication of efforts, and prioritize interventions to shield the nation from cross-border transmission.

Read the original article on Capital FM.