Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has stated that 170 doctors who fought Ebola in Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2015 are back in the country to help strengthen Kenya’s preparedness against any possible outbreak.

Speaking during a public engagement in Bura, Tana River County, on Sunday, June 7, 2026, Duale said Kenya remains free of Ebola but continues to stay on high alert due to regional risks.

“As of today, there is no incident of Ebola outbreak in our country,” Duale said.

He confirmed that all suspected cases tested so far have returned negative results.

“We have tested 67 people as of yesterday. All of them have turned negative,” he said.

Duale said the government has intensified screening at all entry points, including land borders, airports, and seaports.

“Our borders, we have screened as of this morning; we have screened 88,000 people both at the borders, at the airport, and at the seaports,” he said.

He added that all laboratories across the country remain on high alert to support early detection and response.

“All our laboratories are on high alert,” he said.

The CS said major referral hospitals have expanded isolation capacity to handle any suspected Ebola cases.

“Kenyatta National Hospital, the National Police Service Hospital, MTR, Eldoret – all of them have created enough beds within the isolation units of those hospitals in the event we get a case, God forbid,” he said.

He said the Ministry of Health has also activated a toll-free reporting system to allow members of the public to report symptoms.

“We have set up a toll number, star 719 hash, where citizens can call can text if they feel any medical condition. If you feel a headache or vomiting, all these have been done,” he said.

Kenya relies on 170 doctors

A key part of Kenya’s preparedness strategy now relies on 170 Kenyan healthcare workers who served during the Ebola outbreak in Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2015.

Duale confirmed that the doctors have returned to the country and are now part of the national preparedness system.

He said the medics worked in high-risk Ebola treatment environments during the West African outbreak and gained first-hand experience in infection control, patient management, and outbreak response.

He said their return strengthens Kenya’s ability to respond quickly if a case is detected.

“ I want to assure the citizens that our healthcare personnel, including the 170 healthcare workers who went to Liberia and Sierra Leone in 2015 to go and treat Ebola victims in that country then are back. They are here in the country,” Duale said.

He added that the team is already undergoing refresher training.

“They are undergoing training. I will meet them tomorrow,” he said.

Over 800 health workers under training as counties set up response teams

Duale said Kenya continues to train more than 800 health workers to improve national readiness for infectious disease outbreaks.

“We have over 800. We are continuing to train,” he said.

He added that 29 counties have already identified response teams and are working with national institutions.

“Our counties, 29 of our counties have selected, identified, and they are working with the National Public Health Institute, the Ministry of Health, and the Council of Governors to make sure that we are ready for any eventuality,” he said.

The CS said Kenya has secured enough PPEs and laboratory reagents with support from international partners, including the World Health Organization and the United States.

“Our partners, the US, WHO, have given us and we have procured enough PPEs, enough reagents for our laboratories,” he said.

He added that Kenya is also working with partners to establish a high-level quarantine, isolation and infectious disease treatment facility.

“We are partnering with the US to build the quarantine station, isolation treatment, and quarantine facility, a high-end infectious facility dealing with infectious diseases,” he said.