“As the vanguard of Kenya’s healthcare system, we are utterly disgusted by the government’s apparent willingness to trade national biosecurity and the lives of its citizens for foreign aid,” the union said.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya May 28 – Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Secretary General Davji Bhimji Atellah is questioning the rationale behind Kenya’s reported selection of Laikipia Air Base as a host site for an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility for individuals exposed to the Ebola virus.

In a statement issued on May 28, Atellah expressed outrage at what the Union and accused the government of prioritising foreign interests over the safety of Kenyan citizens.

“As the vanguard of Kenya’s healthcare system, we are utterly disgusted by the government’s apparent willingness to trade national biosecurity and the lives of its citizens for foreign aid,” the union said.

📌 What You Need to Know

KMPDU now wants Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explain why Kenya was chosen over countries closer to the Ebola outbreak’s epicentre.

“We will not sit back and watch Kenya be treated as a containment colony for a lethal pathogen that we did not generate,” he added.

Attelah explained that the US has historically repatriated its citizens for treatment during previous outbreaks.

“If the United States considers a 12-hour medevac flight to Washington too risky, by what logic is it safe to fly exposed individuals into Kenya?” he queried posed.

KMPDU further demanded the immediate release of any bilateral agreements underpinning the plan.

His remarks come amid heightened public debate following reports that the United States could send Ebola-exposed individuals to Kenya for observation or treatment.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya