KMPDU demands urgent protection for health workers after Kenya confirms first Ebola case

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 6— The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) has called for urgent measures to protect healthcare workers following the confirmation of Kenya’s first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease and the subsequent death of the patient in Nairobi.

The union said healthcare workers who may have come into contact with the patient at Nairobi Hospital or other health facilities must be immediately identified, medically monitored and provided with psychological support and appropriate follow-up.

KMPDU Secretary-General and CEO Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah said the confirmed case should prompt the government to strengthen protection of frontline workers, warning that their safety must be treated as a national priority.

“Our healthcare workers must not be the weakest link in our response. They must be our first line of protection,” Atellah said.

The union also called for rigorous, timely and transparent contact tracing, urging authorities to provide regular and accurate information to healthcare workers and the public on the progress of the response.

KMPDU said gaps in information could create room for misinformation and undermine efforts to contain the virus.

The government has activated contact tracing and outbreak response measures after Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed Tuesday that the patient had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda before arriving in Nairobi.

According to Duale, the patient arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday, October 3, aboard a flight carrying 23 passengers after travelling by road from the DRC through Uganda.

The patient had reportedly lived in the DRC for about seven years and developed illness about a month ago before seeking treatment at several health facilities.

KMPDU said the patient’s movement through multiple points of care underscored the need to immediately establish the extent of potential exposure among healthcare workers and other contacts.

The union further demanded confirmation that isolation and high-consequence infectious disease treatment facilities across regional referral hospitals are operational, adequately equipped and staffed by trained personnel.

“Preparedness cannot exist only in policy documents,” KMPDU said, warning that authorities should not wait for additional cases before identifying gaps in isolation, treatment and infection prevention capacity.

The union also called for specialised personal protective equipment, infection-prevention protocols and training to be made available to health facilities handling suspected cases.

It urged counties to ensure healthcare workers have adequate medical cover and called on the Social Health Authority (SHA) to address delays in access to services linked to delayed employer remittances.

KMPDU also wants healthcare workers and their unions included in national and county emergency response structures, arguing that frontline workers are best placed to identify operational gaps and risks in the health system.

“When we protect healthcare workers, we protect the entire country,” the union said.
Kenya’s first confirmed imported case comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC, where the Bundibugyo strain has spread across several provinces.

Uganda, which borders Kenya, was declared Ebola-free in July after recording 20 confirmed cases during its 2026 outbreak.

The development has heightened concerns over cross-border transmission in East Africa, given the extensive movement of people between the DRC, Uganda and Kenya.

KMPDU said it would continue monitoring the situation and engaging authorities to ensure safeguards for healthcare workers are implemented.