Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Nairobi (Fides News Agency) – The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) opposes a US treatment center for Ebola patients in Kenya. "We urge the Kenya government to take robust measures to avoid cases of Ebola from entering Kenya. That includes declining the request by the US Government to set up an Ebola Treatment Centre in Kenya where Ebola patients from other countries will be flown in," said the president of the LSK, which has 20,000 members.
The US government has announced it is considering establishing a quarantine and treatment center in Kenya specifically for Americans who have been exposed to the Ebola virus (but are asymptomatic), instead of repatriating them to the United States. The proposal has sparked intense public debate in Kenya, particularly due to concerns about the risks to the local population and the capacity of the Kenyan health system to handle a potential pandemic. Kenyan authorities confirmed that discussions have begun but stressed that the final decision will prioritize national security. The president of the LSK does not dispute that those affected by the virus should receive adequate care, but emphasizes that this care must be provided where the infection is occurring. “Since all Ebola patients deserve access to the highest standard of medical care, and we owe them human solidarity even as we protect the healthy population, public health dictates require that the medical treatment facility and treatment isolation protocols be set up near the common epicentre of the infection,” he affirms.
So far, no cases of Ebola have been reported in Kenya. However, the virus has affected some areas in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, with approximately ten cases. Uganda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo and canceled the pilgrimage to the national shrine of Namugongo, scheduled for June 3rd, the Day of Ugandan Martyrs (see Fides, 19/5/2026). Among the expected pilgrims, several came from Kenya. At least 500 Kenyan faithful who had set out for Namugongo were stopped at the border. (L.M.) (Fides News Agency, 28/5/2026)
