A Kenyan court has suspended a US-backed plan to establish a quarantine facility for Americans exposed to a rare strain of Ebola, following a strong backlash from medical professionals, activists and civil society groups.
The swift move came just a day after US administration officials revealed on May 28 that Washington intended to send American citizens exposed to Ebola overseas to a new facility in Kenya rather than fly them back to the United States, as Al Jazeera reports.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the plans publicly.
According to the proposal, the facility would be established at Laikipia Air Base and would initially provide 50 quarantine beds, with operations expected to begin on May 29.
The plan emerged amid growing concerns that the latest Ebola flare could spread beyond Central Africa. The current outbreak is centred in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has already crossed into Uganda, with more than 200 deaths reported so far.
As governments seek to prevent further international spread, the United States reportedly reached an arrangement to isolate and monitor potentially exposed citizens in Kenya rather than transport them directly home for observation and treatment.
The proposal quickly drew opposition from institutions inside Kenya, such as the Katiba Institute, which filed a legal challenge against the facility, arguing that it was being established without public consultation or adequate oversight.
In its court filing, the organisation warned of “grave and imminent risks” to public health, arguing that bringing Ebola-exposed individuals into a country with no confirmed cases could increase the risk of transmission within Kenya.
Kenyan authorities have acknowledged discussions with Washington regarding Ebola preparedness assistance, but have not directly commented on reports concerning the proposed quarantine centre.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union issued a 48-hour strike warning, saying it would take industrial action if the government proceeded with the arrangement. Union representatives accused officials of jeopardising public health and criticised what they described as a lack of transparency.
The union argued that the United States appeared unwilling to admit Ebola-exposed individuals onto its own territory and warned that Kenya should not become a “dumping ground.”
Earlier, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington planned to provide $13.5 million to support Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts, although he did not publicly confirm details of the quarantine proposal.
“The secretive, unilateral establishment of an Ebola quarantine facility raises grave constitutional concerns regarding the rights to life, health, fair administrative action, public participation, and parliamentary oversight,” the Katiba Institute said in a statement.
The court’s intervention has effectively paused the project while legal challenges and public concerns are reviewed.
By Nazrin Sadigova
