Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has pledged approximately Sh193.5 million in financial, technical, and operational support to strengthen Kenya’s efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak, as continental health authorities move to reinforce surveillance and prevent further transmission.
The commitment was announced on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, following a meeting between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya in Nairobi, where Kenya briefed the continental health agency on measures being implemented to control the outbreak.
Kaseya commended Kenya’s leadership and rapid response, reaffirming Africa CDC’s commitment to supporting the country’s containment efforts and protecting health security across the continent.
The support includes the deployment of 10 African public health experts, laboratory reagents and diagnostic test kits, alongside assistance with surveillance, contact tracing, case management and community engagement.
Africa CDC is also providing equipment valued at approximately Sh45.15 million to strengthen Kenya’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and improve its capacity to coordinate responses to public health emergencies.
In a statement following the meeting, Africa CDC praised Kenya for its political leadership, rapid mobilisation and containment measures, highlighting the importance of early detection, timely interventions and coordinated national action in limiting transmission.
“Kenya's response underscores the critical role of national ownership and leadership in addressing public health emergencies,” the statement said.
The agency maintained that the assistance was intended to reinforce national response efforts while supporting measures to protect Kenya’s population and reduce the risk of the virus spreading across borders.
The latest commitment comes as Kenya continues efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak, which has raised concerns over cross-border transmission and the capacity of health systems to detect and respond to emerging infections.
The outbreak has reaffirmed the importance of surveillance, rapid laboratory diagnosis, effective contact tracing and public awareness in limiting the spread of infectious diseases.
Kenya’s response has involved strengthening public health preparedness and coordinating interventions to identify potential infections, monitor exposed individuals and ensure that suspected cases receive appropriate attention.
Africa CDC said the country’s containment efforts were essential not only for protecting its population but also for reducing the risk of further transmission across the region.
The agency reiterated that public health emergencies require cooperation between national governments and continental institutions, particularly where the movement of people across borders can complicate efforts to contain an outbreak.
“Both leaders underscored that no country can confront a public health emergency alone. Strong national responses, backed by continental solidarity, timely resource mobilisation and coordinated action, remain essential to protecting Africa's collective health security,” the statement read.
As part of efforts to strengthen the continental response, Africa CDC has convened an Extraordinary Meeting of African Ministers of Health scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
The meeting is expected to assess the evolving Ebola situation, reinforce coordination among African countries and agree on urgent measures to contain the outbreak and prevent further spread.
The discussions are expected to focus on collective preparedness, the mobilisation of resources and coordinated interventions to support countries affected by or at risk of Ebola transmission.
Africa CDC’s involvement reflects the need to combine country-led interventions with regional technical assistance and shared preparedness measures.
The agency maintained that its support to Kenya demonstrates the importance of African solidarity in responding to public health threats, while recognising the central role of national governments in leading containment efforts.
The meeting of health ministers is expected to provide a platform for countries to strengthen cooperation and identify additional measures needed to protect populations against the outbreak.
Kenya’s engagement with Africa CDC comes amid broader efforts to strengthen the continent’s capacity to respond to infectious disease emergencies through improved surveillance, laboratory systems, emergency coordination and timely deployment of public health personnel.
Africa CDC concluded that sustained collaboration between governments and continental institutions would remain essential to containing outbreaks, protecting lives and building more resilient health systems across Africa.