Duale holds high-level meeting in bid to strengthen Kenya’s Ebola preparedness
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, June 10, 2026The government has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional health security and epidemic preparedness following high-level talks between Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Deputy Director General Dr Raji Tajudeen.
Confirming the meeting on their X handle on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, the Ministry of Health said that the meeting focused on deepening collaboration between Kenya and the Africa CDC in key areas, including disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, workforce development, and the local manufacturing of health products and technologies.
“Cabinet Secretary for Health Hon. Aden Duale today held high-level consultations with Africa CDC Deputy Director General Dr Raji Tajudeen to strengthen collaboration on regional health security, epidemic preparedness, and Africa’s capacity to respond to public health emergencies,” the MOH statement read in part.
The MoH noted that during the discussions, Duale acknowledged the role played by the Africa CDC, under the leadership of Dr Jean Kaseya, in supporting African countries to build resilient public health systems and coordinate responses to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies across the continent.
The talks also reviewed ongoing efforts to strengthen preparedness against Ebola and other public health threats in the region. Although Kenya has not recorded any confirmed Ebola cases, Duale said the country remains on high alert and has put in place robust preparedness measures.
These include intensified disease surveillance, strengthened border health controls, enhanced emergency response systems, and continued public awareness campaigns aimed at preventing and detecting potential outbreaks.
Importance of Regional Coordination
The cabinet secretary further underscored the strategic importance of the Eastern Africa Regional Coordinating Centre (RCC), which is hosted in Kenya, describing it as a critical platform for advancing regional preparedness and coordinated emergency response efforts.
Duale reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to implementing the Host Country Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the World Health Summit, paving the way for the RCC to become a regional hub for workforce development, disease surveillance, local manufacturing, and health emergency response.
The CS further reiterated the commitment of President William Ruto’s administration to supporting Africa CDC’s vision of building a self-reliant and resilient continent capable of responding effectively to public health challenges.
The cabinet secretary said that the government has pledged to continue working closely with the Africa CDC and development partners to advance shared health priorities and position the Eastern Africa RCC as a leading centre of excellence for health security, innovation, preparedness, and coordinated emergency response across Africa.