Kenya receives 5-tonne Ebola preparedness consignment from government of India

KENYA—Kenya has received a 5-tonne humanitarian consignment of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) preparedness supplies from the Government of India to strengthen the country’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies.

Cabinet Secretary for Health Hon. Aden Duale received the donation, which includes personal protective equipment (PPE), rapid diagnostic kits, infrared thermometers and other emergency response supplies.

The consignment will replenish Kenya’s National Public Health Emergency Strategic Stockpile and support efforts to protect frontline healthcare workers during potential disease outbreaks.

In addition, the supplies will strengthen the country’s ability to detect suspected Ebola cases quickly and support the full operationalisation of 22 designated Ebola isolation units.

Kenya steps up Ebola surveillance

The donation comes as Kenya maintains heightened vigilance against the regional threat of Ebola, although the country has not recorded a confirmed case.

To strengthen preparedness, the Ministry of Health has adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach that brings together national and county authorities, health agencies and development partners.

As part of these measures, health authorities have intensified surveillance at the country’s borders and screened more than 270,000 travellers at over 20 points of entry.

The Ministry has also activated the National Incident Management System, strengthened laboratory networks, deployed rapid response teams and expanded infection prevention and control measures across the country.

Furthermore, Kenya has increased its diagnostic capacity by deploying two mobile laboratories and expanding testing capabilities at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-supported laboratories.

These measures are designed to enable health authorities to rapidly identify, confirm and contain suspected Ebola infections.

Kenya-India health cooperation

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Duale described the donation as a demonstration of the longstanding partnership between Kenya and India.

He noted that the two countries continue to expand cooperation in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical education, digital health and emergency preparedness.

According to Duale, international partnerships play an important role in strengthening global health security and helping countries prepare for emerging public health threats.

The Cabinet Secretary also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to building a resilient health system through investments in strategic emergency stockpiles, reliable supply chains, integrated disease surveillance and modern laboratory infrastructure.

The Government is also working to strengthen emergency operations and equip the health workforce to respond effectively to outbreaks in collaboration with county governments and development partners.

Preparedness under Taifa Care

Duale said the humanitarian support aligns with the Government’s broader health reforms under Taifa Care by reinforcing a key foundation of Universal Health Coverage: a health system capable of responding effectively to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies.

Following the handover, Duale is scheduled to visit Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) to assess the country’s Ebola preparedness infrastructure and review emergency response readiness.

The handover ceremony was attended by Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni, India’s High Commissioner to Kenya Dr. Adarsh Swaika, Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, KNPHI Board Chairperson Paul Ndung’u Kariuki and other senior government officials.