Kenya Strengthens Ebola Preparedness Through Rapid Response Team Training
Nairobi, Kenya -ย ย - Kenya has intensified its preparedness for Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) through a Rapid Response Team (RRT) Training of Trainers workshop aimed at strengthening national and sub-national capacity to detect, prevent and respond to potential outbreaks.
Speaking during the opening of the four-day training in Nairobi, Cabinet Secretary for Health Hon. Aden Duale emphasized that preparedness remains a critical pillar of national health security, noting that Kenya remains at risk of disease importation due to its strategic position as a regional transport, trade and travel hub.
The Cabinet Secretary commended members of the Rapid Response Team, including experts who were deployed to support the West African Ebola response between 2014 and 2016, for their service and contribution to global health security. He called on participants to share their frontline experiences to strengthen outbreak preparedness, infection prevention and control measures, and emergency response systems across the country.
Hon. Duale noted that the training represents a strategic investment in Kenyaโs surge capacity and will support the transfer of critical skills and knowledge to counties and sub-counties to enhance readiness for public health emergencies.
He observed that recurrent outbreaks in the region, including the ongoing Ebola situation, underscore the need for sustained vigilance, strengthened surveillance and coordinated preparedness efforts at all levels of the health system.
The Cabinet Secretary emphasized that Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) remains central to outbreak response, urging healthcare workers to consistently apply standard precautions and protect themselves while delivering care. He noted that experiences from recent outbreaks in the region have demonstrated the importance of strong IPC systems in preventing transmission within health facilities.
Hon. Duale welcomed the recent assessment by Africa CDC, which rated Kenya highly in pandemic preparedness and response, attributing the achievement to sustained investments in health security systems and coordinated preparedness efforts.
He lauded Kenyaโs health workforce for leading from the front in delivering quality healthcare services and advancing Universal Health Coverage, noting that healthcare workers remain the backbone of the countryโs emergency preparedness and response efforts.
The Cabinet Secretary also urged Kenyans to have confidence in government initiatives aimed at strengthening preparedness and response, including the establishment of quarantine and isolation facilities, describing them as critical long-term investments in safeguarding public health and enhancing national health security.
Present during the training were Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni, Director-General for Health Dr. Patrick Amoth, and Acting Director-General of the Kenya National Public Health Institute (KNPHI) Dr. Maureen Kamene.
The training brings together multidisciplinary experts from national and county governments, health institutions and partner organizations to strengthen coordination and preparedness for Ebola and other public health emergencies.