NAIROBI, Kenya- Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has led a government inspection of Nairobi Hospital’s Ebola isolation facility as Kenya steps up preparedness following confirmation of its first imported case.
The inspection assessed the hospital’s readiness to manage suspected and confirmed Ebola cases, including infection prevention measures, equipment and safeguards for patients and healthcare workers, Public Health and Professional Standards Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni said.
The Ministry of Health described Nairobi Hospital as a 133-bed facility designated to support isolation and case management.
The inspection forms part of a wider effort to ensure facilities can identify and respond to suspected infections while limiting the risk of transmission.
Kenya tracks contacts after imported case
Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease on October 6.
The patient, a Kenyan who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, travelled through Uganda to Nairobi, where he was isolated and later died.
The World Health Organization said Kenyan authorities had listed 28 contacts, including family members and health workers, and were tracing 23 passengers and four crew members from the flight the patient took to Nairobi.
As of October 6, Kenya had screened more than 652,000 travellers, tested 267 suspected samples and trained about 5,000 health workers in Ebola prevention and management, according to the WHO.
The ministry says it is working with county governments, development partners and other stakeholders to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing, case management and infection prevention measures across the country.
The WHO is supporting the response and has advised against travel or trade restrictions involving Kenya, Uganda or the Democratic Republic of Congo based on the information currently available.
