The government has stepped up screening of travellers arriving in Kenya from 10 East and Central African countries following the country’s first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said all passengers and aircraft arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) from the affected countries will be routed through Gate 16 for enhanced health screening.
The countries listed are the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Angola, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Duale said Port Health officials and screening equipment had been stationed at Gate 16 to assess travellers arriving from countries considered at risk as Kenya intensifies its Ebola preparedness measures.
“Screening for our travellers from the Ebola disease epicentre countries has been enhanced at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Gate 16,” Duale said while addressing journalists on Wednesday, October 7.
He added that health officials would also assist passengers in completing mandatory health declaration forms.
“Any aircraft coming into JKIA from these 10 countries will go to Gate Number 16, where our Port Health personnel will be there, where our scanning facilities have been placed, where the declaration form,” he reiterated.
Beyond JKIA, Duale said the government was expanding the country’s capacity to respond to potential Ebola cases by mobilising public, private and faith-based health facilities.
The Ministry of Health has also identified five facilities near the Uganda border to serve as temporary isolation centres for suspected Ebola cases.
Duale said preparations at the facilities are expected to be completed within the next 10 to 14 days.
Among the facilities identified are Malaba Health Centre, Busia Border and Kocholia. A district hospital in Busia County is also undergoing renovations to serve as the first point of care for suspected Ebola cases crossing into Kenya.
“A district hospital in Busia County is currently undergoing renovations to manage Ebola virus cases as a first point of care in the event a patient crosses the border,” Duale said.
The CS further disclosed that the government was working with the Digital Health Agency and telecommunications companies to upgrade the 719 toll-free health information system.
He, however, urged Kenyans to avoid unnecessarily congesting the service as the government continues to monitor the Ebola situation.
