The Kenya Union of Clinical Officers (KUCO) has questioned Kenya’s preparedness to respond to Ebola, calling for an immediate assessment of the country’s surveillance, staffing, protective equipment and treatment capacity on Wednesday, October 7.
KUCO said the confirmation of Kenya’s first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola Virus Disease should prompt an immediate and transparent review of the country’s response systems.
According to the union, the patient was a Kenyan who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo through Uganda, arrived in Nairobi on October 3 and later died while receiving treatment. KUCO said the circumstances surrounding the case raised questions about the effectiveness of existing preparedness measures, particularly at points of entry.
The union said Kenya’s position as a regional transport hub makes early detection, isolation and safe management of suspected Ebola cases critical to limiting exposure.
KUCO also raised concerns about the safety of healthcare workers who could be exposed while managing suspected or confirmed cases. It said frontline workers require adequate personal protective equipment, functional isolation facilities, appropriate training, effective infection-prevention measures, sufficient staffing and clear referral procedures.
The union is further demanding a clear account from the Ministry of Health on the patient’s movements, screening, transportation, contacts and management.
KUCO said clear and timely public communication would be critical in maintaining confidence during the outbreak and preventing confusion or misinformation.
The union has called on the President, the Health Cabinet Secretary, the Council of Governors and county governments to conduct and publish an assessment of Ebola preparedness in all 47 counties and at every major port of entry.
The proposed assessment should examine staffing levels, availability of personal protective equipment, isolation capacity, laboratory response and referral systems.
KUCO also wants surveillance strengthened at airports and land-border crossings and has called for weaknesses identified in screening and referral systems to be publicly addressed.
The preparedness concerns come amid ongoing industrial action by Clinical Officers in several counties, including Kakamega, Vihiga, Makueni, Nairobi and Baringo, among others.
KUCO said the labour disputes should now be considered a health-security concern because reduced clinical capacity could undermine the response to an infectious-disease emergency.
The union is calling for the disputes to be resolved and for Clinical Officers to return to work, while also urging the government to recruit additional healthcare workers as part of long-term epidemic preparedness.
KUCO further wants national and county Ebola preparedness teams established with meaningful participation from frontline healthcare workers and their unions.
The union said Kenya should respond to the confirmed Ebola case without causing panic, but warned against treating the development casually.
It said the case should instead provide an opportunity to identify weaknesses in surveillance, staffing and emergency-response systems and address them before another case goes undetected.
KUCO maintained that effective Ebola preparedness depends on adequately staffed health facilities, sufficient equipment, strong surveillance and protection for frontline healthcare workers.
