The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has defended its capacity to manage Ebola outbreaks amid growing controversy over a proposed United States quarantine arrangement in Kenya that has triggered legal action, public uproar, and political opposition.

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Speaking during a BBC Focus on Africa interview, Government Spokesperson and Information Minister Patrick Muyaya, while appearing to advocate for the facility to be set up in the central African country instead, said the DRC has been engaging with U.S. authorities since the beginning of the outbreak.

Muyaya maintained that the country has significant experience in handling Ebola outbreaks, citing previous successful containment efforts.

“We have been talking with the U.S. government since the beginning of the outbreak, and some of the specialists here are already working with the U.S. government,” Muyaya said.

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“I need to remind the world that DRC has experience and expertise on this epidemic. The last time we had an outbreak in Kasai, we finished it in 6 weeks,” he added.

His remarks come as the United States faces scrutiny and uproar from a section of Kenyans over reports of plans to establish an Ebola quarantine and monitoring facility for American citizens in Kenya.

The High Court in Nairobi on Friday temporarily suspended the project, issuing conservatory orders that bar the establishment of any Ebola exposure, isolation, or treatment facility linked to the arrangement.

The court ruling followed an urgent petition filed by the Katiba Institute, which raised concerns over constitutional, public health, and national security implications of hosting such a facility in Kenya.

In response to the legal challenge, the U.S. government said it was aware of the court proceedings and was engaging Kenyan authorities to address the concerns raised over the plan.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps was preparing to deploy a specialised Ebola response team to Kenya to support monitoring and care of American citizens returning from the DRC.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke