Kenya to comply with court order suspending Ebola center construction

Kenya's Health Minister Aden Duale announced that the government will respect a judicial order to temporarily suspend the construction of an Ebola quarantine center. The facility, planned for the Laikipia air base in central Kenya and funded by the United States, had drawn significant opposition from healthcare unions and nearby communities. Protests against the center, intended to receive and treat Americans, escalated into clashes with police, resulting in one death, one injury, and 19 arrests.

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We are a government that respects the rule of law, so we abide by the court's decision.

Duale stated, "We are a government that respects the rule of law, so we abide by the court's decision." However, he also signaled a potential invocation of the Public Health Act if necessary, asserting that "an epidemic of this magnitude cannot wait for further consultations. We have to save lives. We have to prepare the country." He explained the center is part of a broader network of 23 preparedness units aimed at bolstering Kenya's response to infectious disease outbreaks, particularly given the rise in Ebola cases in neighboring countries.

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But in case of that we need to invoke the Public Health Act, articles 35 and 36, we will do it. An epidemic of this magnitude cannot wait for further consultations. We have to save lives. We have to prepare the country.

"I want to make it clear that preparedness facilities are not proof of an outbreak. They are simply a precautionary measure to ensure that, should a case be confirmed, our health systems can respond effectively while protecting the population," Duale added. This statement follows his earlier assertion that public consultation would not be necessary for implementing health interventions, a remark made after being summoned by the National Assembly's Health Committee regarding a pact where Washington pledged $13.5 million for the facility. The court's order requires the government to publicize the plan's details and suspends the center's construction and the admission of individuals exposed to or infected with the virus.

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I want to make it clear that preparedness facilities are not proof of an outbreak. They are simply a precautionary measure to ensure that, should a case be confirmed, our health systems can respond effectively while protecting the population.