The Ministry of Health is set to distribute laboratory equipment and protective gear to high-risk health facilities as Kenya steps up preparedness against Ebola.
The Ministry will begin distributing the laboratory equipment and protective gear worth Sh171 million to designated health facilities on Friday afternoon as the government intensifies efforts to contain the imported Ebola case.
The supplies, received through support from the government and development partners, will be channelled to facilities in high-risk areas to strengthen the country’s capacity to detect, manage and prevent the spread of the deadly virus.
Speaking during an Ebola Taskforce meeting on Friday morning, Public Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said the ministry was coordinating with government agencies and private partners to ensure the disease does not spread beyond the reported imported case.
According to Muthoni, the support includes critical laboratory equipment and protective materials intended to enhance preparedness and safeguard healthcare workers handling suspected cases.
She appealed to additional development partners to support the ongoing response, stressing the need for sufficient resources to prevent further transmission.
“We need more support from our development partners to ensure that this deadly virus does not spread beyond the reported imported case,” Muthoni said.
Medical Services Principal Secretary Dr. Ouma Oluga assured healthcare workers across the country of the government’s commitment to protecting them as they lead the response.
Oluga said the government was taking measures to ensure frontline medical personnel have the necessary support and protection as they undertake their duties.
The taskforce meeting brought together representatives from various government departments involved in coordinating the national response to the Ebola threat.
Government Warns Politicians Against Spreading Ebola Misinformation
Meanwhile, Government Spokesperson Charles Owino cautioned politicians against making reckless statements or spreading false information about the Ebola situation, warning that misinformation could undermine containment efforts.
Owino said irresponsible public communication could create unnecessary panic, discourage visitors and investors, and jeopardise gains made in the country’s development and public health sectors.
He noted that the way a pandemic is communicated plays a critical role in determining how the public responds to the situation.
The government has urged political leaders and other public figures to rely on verified information from health authorities when commenting on the outbreak.
Muthoni also said health officials were intensifying contact-tracing efforts, expressing optimism that all contacts linked to the index case, also referred to as patient zero, would be identified within the next 48 hours.
She said the ministry remained alert as surveillance and other response measures continued, with the aim of identifying potentially exposed individuals and taking the necessary public health action.
The intensified response comes as the government seeks to strengthen preparedness at designated health facilities, protect frontline workers and prevent further transmission of the virus.
Health authorities continue to rely on surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory capacity and public cooperation as key measures in containing the Ebola threat.
