US says Kenya Ebola facility poses no risk

The US Embassy in Kenya said on Wednesday that a planned Ebola quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base for US personnel poses no risk to nearby communities, as controversy over the project continues.

In a statement, the embassy said the facility is part of efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola and strengthen regional health security amid the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “It does not pose a risk to nearby communities,” the embassy said.

The embassy added that it is aware of a court challenge against the project and is working with Kenyan authorities to address concerns and explain its objectives to the public.

A day earlier, Kenya’s High Court extended by three weeks a suspension of the facility and ordered the government to disclose the agreement underpinning the project. The case was filed by the Katiba Institute, a constitutional watchdog, which argues the initiative raises legal, public health and transparency concerns.

On Monday, hundreds of residents and youths protested outside the facility in Nanyuki, about 200 kilometres north of Nairobi.

The embassy said the US is working with Kenya and international partners to improve disease detection, testing and outbreak response. Expanding regional capacity to isolate and test asymptomatic individuals, including Americans working on the response, will enhance Kenya’s readiness and preserve clinical resources for Kenyan citizens, the embassy said.

The US has committed more than $162 million in direct assistance to combat the Ebola outbreak.

SOURCE: AA