The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has urged the government to take urgent measures to protect healthcare workers and enhance Kenya's preparedness following the confirmation of an imported Ebola virus disease case. The patient, who was being treated at Nairobi Hospital, later succumbed to the disease, prompting the union to express condolences to the family and acknowledge the healthcare workers who attended to the patient.
KMPDU Secretary-General and CEO Dr. Davji Bhimji Atellah emphasized that healthcare workers must not be the weakest link in the response to the Ebola outbreak. He stressed that they must be the first line of protection. The union recognized the Ministry of Health's activation of contact tracing and outbreak response measures but noted that the confirmed case was a reminder that preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases cannot be left to chance.
The KMPDU has called for immediate medical monitoring, psychological support, and follow-up for all healthcare workers who may have come into contact with the patient. The union also urged health facilities to be equipped with specialized personal protective equipment (PPE), infection prevention protocols, and training to enable them to safely manage suspected cases.
Furthermore, the union demanded that counties provide medical cover for healthcare workers and urged the Social Health Authority (SHA) to ensure that workers are not denied access to services due to delayed remittances by employers. The KMPDU also emphasized the need for a rigorous, timely, and transparent contact tracing process, with regular and accurate information provided to healthcare workers and the public.
The union also demanded that the government confirm that isolation and high-consequence infectious disease treatment units at regional referral facilities are functional, adequately equipped, and staffed by trained personnel. The KMPDU stressed that preparedness cannot exist only in policy documents and that facilities must be ready to handle suspected cases.
The KMPDU also called for greater involvement of frontline healthcare workers and their representatives in national and county emergency response structures. According to the union, healthcare workers directly involved in patient care understand the gaps and risks within the health system and should help shape decisions on containment, infection prevention, and worker protection.
The Ebola case in Kenya has highlighted the need for strengthened preparedness and response measures. The government and healthcare stakeholders must work together to ensure that healthcare workers are protected and equipped to handle suspected cases. The KMPDU's demands aim to prevent further transmission of the disease and protect the lives of healthcare workers.
Key points
- Healthcare workers must be protected and equipped to handle suspected Ebola cases.
- The government must ensure that isolation and high-consequence infectious disease treatment units are functional and adequately equipped.
- Frontline healthcare workers should be involved in national and county emergency response structures.
