Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, met with the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to discuss Ebola preparedness and broader health cooperation, as an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo raises regional concern.

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, focused on Kenya’s surveillance systems and emergency readiness, particularly given its role as a regional transport hub.

In a post on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, Duale said the meeting focused on Kenya’s surveillance systems, emergency response capacity, and coordination with global health partners in anticipation of potential cross-border risks.

“Discussions focused on three core areas: advancing Kenya’s pharmaceutical regulatory maturity, strengthening Ebola preparedness and deepening the strategic role of the WHO Regional Hub in Nairobi,” Duale said.

Kenya, which serves as a major transport and trade hub in East Africa, has increased monitoring at points of entry, including enhanced screening measures, rapid response coordination mechanisms and expanded community awareness campaigns aimed at early detection of infectious diseases.

Duale stated that Kenya has strengthened surveillance and response measures.

“I commended WHO’s leadership in responding to the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and outlined our strengthened measures, including enhanced surveillance at points of entry, rapid response coordination and community awareness, given our status as a regional transport and trade hub.”

He also noted that Kenya’s discussions with WHO included ongoing technical support, adding that the country requested “accelerated assistance to finalize the ML3 process, including targeted capacity building and expedited technical reviews.”

The statement further highlighted discussions on the role of the WHO Regional Hub in Nairobi, with Kenya reaffirming its appreciation for the hub’s presence and its role in multilateral health coordination, humanitarian response and emergency preparedness in Africa.

Duale also reiterated its commitment to continued cooperation with WHO on global health challenges, including financing pressures, climate-related health risks and emerging disease threats.

The Health CS was accompanied by Dr. Fancy Too, Kenya’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Dr. Nicholus Muraguri, Advisor on Global Health Diplomacy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Jean Gitau, Kenya’s Health Attaché.