Kenya government confirms readiness to accept Ebola patients under US deal as court suspends plan

A Kenyan government official has confirmed that the country is prepared to accept Ebola patients from abroad under a reported arrangement with the United States, a statement that has triggered a legal blockade, a doctors strike threat, and widespread public outrage.

Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr Ouma Oluga defended the plan on May 28, 2026, insisting that Kenya is well equipped to handle Ebola cases and should not shirk its global health responsibilities.

We are going to allow Ebola patients into Kenya because, during the COVID-19 period, we had thousands of patients coming to Kenya for quarantine from all over the world, Dr Oluga said.

He argued that Kenya will receive Ebola patients just as Kenyans seek cancer treatment abroad, and pointed to the country’s preparedness, including over 2,200 health workers trained in infectious disease management and four laboratories set up for testing. The plan reportedly involves a 50 bed isolation centre at Laikipia Air Base, about 160 kilometres north of Nairobi, to be operated with American medical staff. Under the proposal, American citizens exposed to Ebola in outbreak zones such as the Democratic Republic of Congo would be flown to Kenya instead of being repatriated to the United States. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has killed at least 220 people and infected over 900 in eastern DRC, and the virus has also reached Uganda, which has confirmed seven cases and one death.

However, the Kenyan government has repeatedly clarified that no Ebola case has been reported inside Kenya. Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni assured Kenyans on May 24 that the country remains free of the virus even as surveillance is intensified at border points. Despite the government’s assurances, the plan was swiftly challenged in court. On the night of May 28, the High Court in Nairobi issued a temporary injunction blocking the establishment of any Ebola quarantine or treatment facility linked to the United States or any other foreign government. Justice Patricia Nyaundi also barred Kenyan authorities from admitting anyone exposed to or infected with Ebola under the contested agreement. The case was filed by the Katiba Institute, a rights group that argued the secretive nature of the deal raised grave constitutional concerns regarding the rights to life, health, and public participation.

The court will hear the case further on June 2, 2026. Adding to the controversy, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union issued a 48 hour strike notice on May 28, threatening to withdraw services if the government proceeds with the deal. Secretary General Davji Bhimji Atellah expressed outrage, saying,

We will not sit back and watch Kenya be treated as a containment colony for a lethal pathogen that we did not generate.

He questioned why the United States would not repatriate its own citizens, adding that if America considers a 12 hour medevac flight to Washington too risky, then flying exposed individuals into Kenya cannot be safe. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua welcomed the court decision, describing the ruling as a safeguard against a dangerous government scheme. Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has acknowledged ongoing discussions with the United States but emphasized that any arrangement must comply with Kenyan law and public health procedures.

For now, the plan to host Ebola patients in Kenya remains suspended, with the government’s public health position clashing with legal intervention, labour action, and rising public anxiety.

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