Ramaphosa urges Africa CDC support on Ebola outbreak as Kenya pushes for Nanyuki’s US facility
By Emmanuel Rono, June 4, 2026South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a coordinated continental response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, urging stronger health systems and increased funding to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Speaking at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Thursday, June 4, 2026, Ramaphosa warned that the outbreak must be treated as a shared African concern, citing weak health systems and cross-border movement as key risks to containment.
“Early detection, rapid reporting and decisive action remain critical to containing outbreaks before they escalate into a wider regional crisis,” Ramaphosa said.
He further called for enhanced financial support to the Africa CDC to improve outbreak surveillance, coordination and emergency response across the continent.
“We must strengthen our health systems and ensure that Africa CDC has the capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to public health emergencies,” he added.
“We call on all other countries and institutions that can lend a hand to make a contribution to enable the AUCDC to be able to deal with this challenge quite effectively.”
Kenya’s readiness for Ebola
This comes as the Ministry of Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has confirmed the support of the World Health Organisation (WHO) to Kenya in a bid to combat the Ebola threat.
Duale confirmed WHO’s contribution on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, while appearing before the National Assembly Plenary, chaired by the Speaker, Moses Wetang’ula.
On his part, Duale confirmed the provision of at least 1000 Ebola PPE kits by the WHO, which, according to the Ministry, are strategically positioned in high-risk areas.
“The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also supported preparedness efforts through the provision of 1,000 Ebola PPE kits strategically positioned in high-risk areas,” WHO stated.
U.S Ebola facility in Nanyuki
The United States has said that a bio-isolation facility in Laikipia poses no risk to nearby communities, as it moves to reassure the public and address a court case filed in Kenya over the project.
In a statement issued by the US Embassy in Kenya on June 2, 2026, officials said they are working closely with the Kenyan government to resolve concerns and explain the purpose of the facility to the public.
“We are aware of the court action filed in Kenya and are actively working with the Kenyan government to resolve any objections and communicate our shared objectives to the Kenyan people,” the embassy said.
The statement comes as Kenya and the United States expand cooperation in response to an Ebola outbreak in the region. The embassy said the two countries share a long-standing health partnership that has supported public health systems for decades.