Health: Africa CDC commends Kenya’s Ebola containment measur

The African Union’s specialised continental public health agency stressed that the East African country’s response underscores the critical role of national ownership and leadership in addressing public health emergencies. The statement followed Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya’s meeting with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale in the country’s capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday. After being briefed by Duale on Kenya’s ongoing response measures against the deadly virus, Kaseya reiterated that the agency “stands firmly” alongside Kenya, in line with shared commitments to preventing further spread of the disease.

The agency also highlighted the provision of state-of-the-art equipment valued at approximately 350,000 dollars to strengthen Kenya’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center and its capacity to coordinate public health emergencies. “Kenya can count on Africa CDC’s continued support as it works to bring the outbreak under control,” said Kaseya.

Emphasising that no country can confront a public health emergency alone, Kaseya and Duale stressed that strong national responses, backed by continental solidarity, timely resource mobilisation, and coordinated action, remain essential to protecting Africa’s collective health security, according to the statement. Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Ebola on Oct. 6 and immediately implemented measures to curb further transmission. The East African country has so far recorded a total of nine confirmed cases, including two deaths.