NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 7 – Counties will work closely with the Ministry of Health to strengthen Kenya’s response to Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Council of Governors (CoG) vice chair Muthomi Njuki has said.

📻 Breaking It Down

Njuki said county governments would support national efforts to prevent further transmission of Ebola by strengthening preparedness, equipping isolation centres and ensuring adherence to basic public health protocols.

The commitment comes after Kenya confirmed its first imported Ebola case, involving a Kenyan citizen who had lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for several years and later died after testing positive for the virus.

Speaking on the government’s response to the case, Njuki said counties would coordinate with the Ministry of Health to ensure that facilities at the county level are adequately prepared to detect, isolate and manage suspected cases.

📌 What You Need to Know

He said the devolved units would also reinforce preventive measures, including hygiene protocols and surveillance, as health authorities continue tracing people who may have been exposed to the deceased patient.

Njuki said counties would prioritise the equipping of isolation centres as part of efforts to ensure suspected Ebola cases can be promptly separated from other patients while awaiting testing and further medical assessment.

The move is expected to strengthen Kenya’s capacity to respond to suspected cases outside the main referral hospitals and designated national treatment centres.

County health departments will also work with national health officials to enhance surveillance and ensure suspected cases are identified and referred appropriately.

The CoG leadership said the county governments would continue supporting measures aimed at preventing the virus from spreading within communities.

Njuki said counties would also enforce basic health measures designed to minimise the risk of Ebola transmission.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya