A new survey reveals that disease transmission is the primary concern among Kenyans regarding the planned Ebola treatment center, presenting a significant obstacle for authorities seeking public support for the initiative.
The GeoPoll poll conducted on June 3 indicates that nearly two-thirds of respondents (64 percent) ranked the risk of disease spread as their most significant worry.
This concern substantially surpassed other apprehensions, with safety and security issues mentioned by 15 percent, foreign influence or control by 8 percent, lack of transparency by 7 percent, and misuse of funds by 4 percent.
Only 3 percent of those surveyed expressed no concerns about the proposed facility.
The findings indicate that public apprehension is mainly fueled by fears of potential outbreaks rather than governance or financial matters.
The results emphasize the necessity for authorities to clearly communicate how the facility would function, the protective measures that would be implemented, and how risks to neighboring communities would be addressed.
The survey also demonstrates that awareness of the proposal is already relatively high. Approximately 67 percent of respondents reported being well-informed about the planned Ebola facility, while an additional 25 percent said they had some knowledge. This means that over nine out of ten respondents had some level of awareness of the proposal before sharing their perspectives.