Kenya and WHO Review Ebola Response, Strengthen Health Security Cooperation

Kenya and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reviewed the country's response to the imported Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. The review comes as Kenya records three consecutive weeks without a new confirmed case. Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale held bilateral talks with a WHO delegation led by Regional Director for Africa Prof. Yakub Janabi to assess progress in containing the outbreak.

The talks aimed to strengthen collaboration on health security and broader health sector priorities. Duale acknowledged WHO's technical and operational support, including essential response supplies, personal protective equipment, and validation of Kenya's Filovirus Surveillance Standard Operating Procedures. The support has been crucial in enhancing Kenya's response to the outbreak.

Kenya has recorded nine cases linked to a single transmission cluster, with no evidence of community transmission. Six patients have recovered and been discharged, two have died, and one remains under treatment. The government has screened over 772,000 travellers at 28 points of entry, tested 736 samples across five designated laboratories, and trained over 7,300 healthcare workers.

Duale emphasised the need to maintain vigilance through active surveillance, rapid investigation of alerts, and continued screening at points of entry. He requested additional WHO support for diagnostic supplies, technical training, isolation, and treatment infrastructure in high-risk counties and frontline response operations. This support will be crucial in preventing a resurgence of the outbreak.

The discussions also covered joint monitoring of the countdown, an After-Action Review, and a coordinated declaration of the end of the outbreak once the required public health criteria are met. The Cabinet Secretary further expressed concern over blanket travel bans and visa restrictions imposed by some countries, calling for WHO's engagement to ensure that public health measures are guided by scientific evidence and the International Health Regulations.

The meeting reviewed cooperation on Universal Health Coverage through the Social Health Authority, strengthening the Kenya National Public Health Institute and International Health Regulations core capacities, local manufacturing of health products, sustainable health financing, and digital health transformation. These areas of cooperation are critical in enhancing Kenya's health security and response to future outbreaks.

Kenya and WHO have agreed to develop a joint action plan covering operationalisation of the donated diagnostic equipment, technical capacity building, support for the remaining phase of the Ebola response, and broader health sector priorities. The plan will ensure sustained surveillance and international cooperation to prevent future outbreaks.

Key points

• Kenya and WHO strengthen cooperation on health security and response to Ebola outbreak
• Kenya records three consecutive weeks without a new confirmed Ebola case
• WHO provides technical and operational support to enhance Kenya's response to the outbreak