Former Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion has cautioned that while Kenya has not recorded any Ebola case, the country must remain alert and strengthen preparedness systems against possible future outbreaks.

Speaking during a local station interview on Thursday, May 28, 2026, Sossion questioned the importance of testing at entry points such as airports and borders, saying it is a critical step in identifying infected individuals and ensuring immediate isolation.

“Why do you conduct tests at entry points, whether at an airport or a border? It is so that you identify people affected and isolate them,” he said.

Sossion noted that Kenya’s current Ebola-free status should not lead to complacency, insisting that the country remains at risk due to global mobility and unpredictable disease patterns.

“Kenya has not recorded any Ebola case, but it doesn’t mean we may not record one in the future,” he stated.

Call for isolation units

He stressed the need for well-equipped isolation units as part of national preparedness, arguing that response systems must be strengthened before any outbreak occurs.

“We can, and if that is identified in the future for whatever circumstance or natural occurrence, we must have isolation units. That is part of preparation,” Sossion said.

He further cautioned against giving Kenyans assurances that Ebola will never be recorded in the country, saying such statements are not realistic in modern public health contexts.

“You cannot tell Kenyans that we cannot record Ebola in the future. We can,” he added.

Sossion also called for stronger medical collaboration and coordination at entry points, saying containment must begin immediately when a suspected case is identified.

“If an Ebola case is identified at Jomo Kenyatta Airport, you cannot allow that person to fly out. You quarantine them from the source of origin; they should not board any plane,” he said.

Preparedness measures

His remarks come amid ongoing government efforts to strengthen Ebola preparedness through international cooperation and surveillance systems.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has confirmed that Kenya is engaging global partners, including the United States, to enhance emergency response systems and disease surveillance.

The Ministry of Health has also activated its Incident Management System and intensified screening at points of entry, with thousands of travellers already screened and no Ebola cases detected so far.