Charles Kanjama, head of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK), has voiced opposition to United States proposals to establish an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility within Kenya, maintaining that medical interventions should be positioned near the outbreak’s origin.
In a Wednesday, May 28 statement on his social media platform, Kanjama called upon Kenyan authorities to implement enhanced preventive measures against Ebola entry as the outbreak intensifies in eastern Congo and Uganda.
We also expect the Kenyan government to implement strong measures to prevent Ebola cases from entering our country,” Kanjama emphasized.
He additionally expressed disagreement with reports indicating that the US government plans to designate Kenya as a regional treatment center for American citizens affected by the outbreak.
This encompasses rejecting the US Government’s request to establish an Ebola Treatment Facility in Kenya where patients from other nations would be transported for care,” he stated.
Kanjama maintained that while Ebola patients require appropriate medical attention and compassion, public health protocols dictate that treatment facilities be situated near infection sources to minimize cross-border transmission risks.
Since all Ebola patients deserve access to superior medical care and human solidarity while protecting the healthy population, public health requirements mandate that treatment facilities and isolation protocols be established near the infection’s common epicentreeither in Eastern Congo or Western Uganda,” he added.
His comments follow confirmation by the White House of plans to establish a quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya designed to facilitate the swift evacuation of Americans affected by the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, eliminating the need for lengthy flights back to the United States.
Charles Kanjama, President of the Law Society of Kenya.
The proposal has triggered discussion among public health specialists, with several cautioning that transporting exposed or infected individuals across borders might hinder containment efforts and raise ethical questions regarding treatment accessibility.
This discussion occurs as the Ebola outbreak continues its spread through regions of eastern Congo and Uganda. Health officials have documented hundreds of suspected infections and over one hundred confirmed cases, leading to enhanced contact tracing and isolation protocols.
Uganda has additionally taken steps to close its border with Congo in an attempt to contain viral transmission, contrary to World Health Organization recommendations against comprehensive border closures during outbreaks.
The article discussing LSK President Charles Kanjama’s opposition to the US plan for an Ebola treatment center in Kenya was originally published on Radio47.