Ebola center in Kenya sparked protests

The Ebola quarantine center to be established in Kenya for US citizens was protested. Two people died in the demonstrations, and the court halted construction and patient admission.

In Kenya, the Ebola quarantine center being established within a military base for US citizens has sparked reactions across the country. The center is planned to direct Americans infected with Ebola abroad to the facility in Kenya instead of taking them back to the US.

The largest protests against the center were held in the town of Nanyuki in the central part of the country. Hundreds of people took to the streets on Monday and Tuesday, gathering in front of the planned facility. During the protests on Monday, events escalated; two people lost their lives, and one person was injured.

Being established within a military base

US officials had previously confirmed that the center would be located inside Laikipia Air Base. This base is used by the Kenyan army, and it was stated that the facility would serve Americans exposed to the Ebola virus.

The plan has not only raised security concerns in Kenya but also sparked debates about the pressure on the healthcare system. So far, there is no confirmed case of Ebola in the country, and Kenya has not recorded the disease to date.

The main concern is the possibility of the disease being brought into the country. Healthcare workers also strongly opposed the project. It was reminded that many healthcare workers contracted the disease due to a lack of protective equipment and vaccines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Strong reaction from healthcare workers

The union representing doctors, pharmacists, and dentists in Kenya stated last week that they would not allow Kenya to be seen as an "isolation colony." The union emphasized that if Ebola is too dangerous for America, it is also too dangerous for Kenya.

Amid the protests, the government side continued to defend the project. However, the High Court in Nairobi suspended construction work and patient admission following lawsuits filed last week. The court extended this suspension decision for at least three more weeks on Tuesday.

Regional course of the outbreak

The World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency on May 17. The decision was triggered by the rare Bundibugyo type that had been circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo for weeks.

There is no approved vaccine or treatment for this type. The virus has also spread to Uganda. It was reported that 321 people were infected and 48 died in the Democratic Republic of Congo. One death was recorded in Uganda, with nine cases confirmed.

Another factor increasing concerns was the late detection of the outbreak and the recent reduction in health funding by Western donors, especially the US. Last year, after the start of Donald Trump's second presidential term, most US foreign aid was cut, and USAID was effectively closed.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at Wednesday's cabinet meeting that no Ebola cases would be allowed to enter the country. His spokesperson Tommy Pigott announced that Rubio had spoken with Kenyan President William Ruto and that Washington plans to allocate $13.5 million for Kenya's Ebola preparedness efforts.

The statement also noted that an additional $112 million was allocated for regional intervention. According to US media, the center will have isolation and biosafety units where suspected and confirmed cases will be kept and treated.

About 30 members of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps went to Kenya last week after three weeks of training. Meanwhile, it was reported that a US doctor who was unknowingly exposed to the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo was transferred to Germany for treatment two weeks ago.