Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has announced that the city has trained 923 health workers and 1,598 community health promoters as part of its intensified Ebola preparedness efforts. This move comes after a confirmed case of Ebola was reported in the capital. The training aimed to equip health workers with skills on early detection, identification, and reporting of suspected Ebola cases.
According to Governor Sakaja, Nairobi has stepped up Ebola preparedness across all 17 sub-counties following the confirmation of a case in the capital. The governor said disease surveillance, contact tracing, isolation capacity, and emergency response systems have been strengthened to protect residents. This includes the activation of Rapid Response Teams in each sub-county, coordinated by the County Emergency Operations Centre.
A total of 923 health workers and 1,598 community health promoters have completed specialised training on Ebola response. Additionally, more than 60 laboratory officers received instruction on safe sample collection and handling. This training is crucial in enhancing the city's capacity to respond to Ebola cases. The trained health workers and CHPs will play a key role in identifying and reporting suspected cases.
The county has designated Mama Margaret Uhuru Kenyatta Hospital as Nairobi's Ebola isolation facility. The hospital is undergoing upgrades to its capacity for receiving, isolating, and managing suspected and confirmed cases. This includes reinforcing infection prevention and control measures across health facilities.
The county has also carried out simulation exercises at Mbagathi Hospital and Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital. These exercises, conducted in partnership with the Kenya Red Cross, aimed to test emergency response readiness. The simulation exercises are crucial in identifying gaps and areas for improvement in the response to Ebola cases.
Contact tracing has begun for 28 contacts linked to the deceased patient and 27 passengers who travelled on the same flight. Authorities are seeking to identify and monitor potential exposures. County surveillance reports indicate 22 suspected Ebola cases have been logged since 16 May 2026 across 11 of Nairobi's 17 sub-counties.
The confirmed case involved a 39-year-old Kenyan who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for seven years. The individual entered Kenya via Uganda on 3 October 2026, was admitted to a Nairobi hospital, tested positive at the National Public Health Laboratory, and later died. The governor emphasized collaboration with the Ministry of Health, national referral facilities, and development partners to ensure a coordinated response to the outbreak.
Key points
- 923 health workers and 1,598 community health promoters have been trained on Ebola response.
- Mama Margaret Uhuru Kenyatta Hospital has been designated as Nairobi's Ebola isolation facility.
- Contact tracing is ongoing for 55 individuals linked to the deceased patient.
