The United States government has authorised the use of an experimental Ebola antibody treatment for individuals with high-risk exposure, as concerns grow over containment plans linked to a proposed quarantine facility in Kenya.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) confirmed that Americans exposed to Ebola in the ongoing Central Africa outbreak will be eligible for the investigational therapy, known as MBP-134.
The antibody treatment, developed by Mapp Biopharmaceuticals in the United States, has shown strong results in animal studies but has not yet completed full clinical trials in humans, according to StatNews.
Health officials said the therapy will be administered under emergency investigational use mechanisms allowed by the Food and Drug Administration for unapproved medical treatments during outbreaks.
An image showing individuals getting screened at a checkpoint in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Photo
EAC
The move comes as the U.S. government continues to coordinate response efforts for Ebola cases linked to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda.
While the treatment is still in limited supply, authorities have not disclosed the exact number of available doses, citing ownership and distribution arrangements under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
At the same time, the U.S. has faced growing scrutiny over its plan to establish a 50-bed bio-isolation and quarantine facility in Laikipia County for exposed individuals.
The facility has triggered protests in parts of Laikipia, with residents raising concerns over safety, transparency, and the decision to host such a centre in Kenya.
Kenyan authorities and U.S. officials, however, maintain that the facility is designed to prevent disease spread and strengthen regional capacity to detect and isolate potential cases.
The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi has insisted that the quarantine centre poses no risk to surrounding communities, describing it as part of a larger health security partnership with Kenya.
It also stated that Washington has committed more than Ksh20 billion in direct support for Ebola response efforts in Africa, with additional funding channelled through international humanitarian mechanisms.
Despite the assurances, the planned facility has sparked political and public backlash, with protests reported in Laikipia in recent days over perceived health and security risks.
Meanwhile, health experts say the experimental antibody therapy, MBP-134, could be a breakthrough treatment if proven effective in humans, noting that outbreaks remain critical opportunities for real-world clinical trials.
An aerial image of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, with an insert of medics responding to the Ebola Virus.
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ICRC Newsroom
