The Parliamentary Health Committee has summoned Health CS Aden Duale and other ministry officials over the government’s approval of a proposed US Ebola quarantine centre, directing them to appear next Tuesday.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The development comes even as the High Court on Friday, May 29, issued conservatory orders suspending the planned establishment of the Ebola quarantine centre in Laikipia County.

The orders followed an urgent petition filed by the Katiba Institute at the Milimani Law Courts seeking to halt the implementation of the facility pending determination of the case.

The court further warned that any failure to comply with the conservatory orders would attract penal consequences for individuals or institutions found in violation of the directive.

📌 What You Need to Know

In its petition, Katiba Institute argued that the proposed arrangement raises serious constitutional and public health concerns and should be halted immediately pending judicial determination.

On May 28, Health CS Aden Duale moved to address mounting public anxiety, asserting that any international agreements regarding the handling of Ebola-exposed foreign nationals in Kenya would be strictly governed by domestic public health laws and rigorous biosafety standards.

However, critics argue that the arrangement exposes Kenya to a higher risk of a dangerous disease outbreak.

For many Kenyans, the developments revived memories of the Covid-19 pandemic when the country introduced strict containment measures including airport screening, quarantine centers and even curfews.

The prospects of intentionally importing individuals exposed to Ebola into a densely populated country like Kenya have since sparked widespread public anxiety.

According to reports the quarantine centre was expected to be operational within a week. It was set to begin with a 50-bed field hospital with capacity for future expansion up to 250 beds.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke