Sifuna: Kenya Should Reject Ebola Patients, Redirect Funds to DRC

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has stated that funds allocated for a planned United States-supported Ebola center in Nanyuki should be redirected to enhance response capabilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He contended that controlling the outbreak at its origin would provide enhanced protection for the region. His comments arrive during public discussion surrounding the proposed 50-bed isolation and treatment facility in Laikipia County, which has encountered opposition from local residents and triggered health and safety apprehensions. “We have suggested to the President that rather than transporting patients from DRC for treatment here, I believe the U.S. government should bolster the capacity of DRC itself to ensure the disease remains within its borders and ensures safety for all,” Sifuna stated during a parliamentary session. “Should the funds committed to this project be allocated to President Felix Tshisekedi, he should receive those resources to establish such facilities within his country and contain Ebola within their borders, though we are now receiving reports of fatalities even in Uganda.” Sifuna indicated that the concerns expressed by Kenyans regarding the facility were valid and cautioned that attention should be directed toward intensifying outbreak control measures within affected nations. He connected the proposal to wider regional dangers, citing reports of infections extending beyond the Democratic Republic of Congo. He further challenged the efficacy of existing healthcare readiness, pointing to a disparity between public declarations and actual conditions on the ground. “The condition of our healthcare system is extremely concerning, and unlike what is portrayed here in Nairobi and other public forums that depict an optimistic scenario, when our committees conduct field visits, what they discover, Honourable Speaker, resembles a nightmare,” the Senator explained. His comments coincide with persistent examination of the US-supported initiative to create a treatment and quarantine center for Ebola-related cases concerning personnel deployed in outbreak areas. The initiative, supported by the United States, has been justified as part of extensive preparedness endeavors, yet detractors contend it threatens to establish Kenya as a primary transit hub for high-risk patients. Sifuna maintained that prioritizing containment within affected countries would diminish exposure hazards for Kenya and adjacent nations. President William Ruto, in defense of the proposed plan, stated it represents an enduring partnership with the United States in global health security and pandemic response. The President affirmed that the arrangement constitutes Kenya’s cooperation with international partners in enhancing public health frameworks. Speaking on Monday during a media roundtable in Wajir, Ruto indicated that the administration had already implemented comprehensive readiness protocols to address any potential Ebola outbreak, including isolation units, monitoring systems, and treatment centers. “When President Trump requested the Kenyan government to assist them by establishing a center at Laikipia Air Base, I approved because it represented an agreement and partnership with allies who have collaborated with Kenya for 30 to 40 years. The American government has consistently supported us,” Ruto stated.