Kenya’s Ministry of Health has broken its silence over reports that the United States is planning to establish an Ebola quarantine and treatment facility on Kenyan soil for American citizens exposed to the virus — and its message is clear: any such arrangement must go through Kenya, on Kenya’s terms.
The ministry confirmed that talks with Washington are ongoing, but stopped short of endorsing any specific agreement on patient transfers. “The Government of Kenya notes ongoing discussions with the US government and other global partners regarding international collaboration on strengthening preparedness and response mechanisms for Ebola Virus Disease and other emerging public health threats,” the ministry said in a statement.
It added that any partnership would be “guided by Kenya’s national laws, public health regulations, biosafety and biosecurity standards, and the overriding responsibility of the Government to safeguard the health and welfare of the people of Kenya.”
The statement comes in response to widely circulated reports, first published by the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, that the Trump administration is setting up an offshore isolation facility in Kenya to house Americans exposed to or infected with Ebola, rather than flying them home to the United States. US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps officers have reportedly been notified to prepare for possible deployment to staff the centre.
While the ministry’s tone was measured, it also used the moment to underscore Kenya’s longstanding investment in public health. “Kenya’s role in regional and global health security has been built over many years through deliberate investments in health systems strengthening, public health surveillance, workforce development and emergency preparedness,” the statement read. The ministry further noted that Kenyan health professionals played a key role in the West Africa Ebola outbreak response between 2014 and 2016.
Health CS Aden Duale revealed that Kenya has activated its national Incident Management System, intensified surveillance at all border entry points, and designated laboratories for Ebola testing. To date, over 55,000 travellers have been screened at Kenyan borders, with no positive cases detected.
The discussions sit against the backdrop of a Ksh200 billion US-Kenya Health Cooperation Framework signed in December 2025, a five-year agreement that channels US health funding directly to Kenyan government institutions following the closure of USAID.
Kenya’s willingness to engage is clear — but so are its conditions. “Kenya welcomes partnerships that strengthen global health security and reaffirm our shared commitment to protecting lives through coordinated, science-based action,” the ministry said.
The final word on whether Kenya will host the facility has not yet been given.
