A Kenyan High Court has temporarily suspended plans to establish a U.S.-supported Ebola quarantine facility in the country following legal challenges and growing public opposition.
The proposed 50-bed facility was expected to operate from the Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya and would have been used to isolate and monitor American citizens exposed to the Ebola outbreak currently affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The court’s decision came after rights organizations and legal advocates argued that the arrangement raised significant public health, constitutional, and transparency concerns. Petitioners contended that bringing Ebola-exposed individuals into Kenya could pose risks to a country that has not recorded any confirmed cases of the virus.
The ruling bars Kenyan authorities from implementing the agreement or admitting any Ebola-exposed individuals under the proposed arrangement until the matter is fully heard in court. A further hearing has been scheduled to determine the legality of the plan.
The proposal also sparked strong reactions from healthcare professionals and labor unions. Kenya’s doctors’ union threatened industrial action, arguing that the country should not assume the risks associated with housing a quarantine centre for foreign nationals while concerns remain about biosecurity and healthcare infrastructure.
U.S. officials had defended the project as part of broader efforts to protect American citizens working in Ebola-affected regions and had pledged financial support to strengthen Kenya’s Ebola preparedness capabilities.
The controversy comes as health authorities race to contain the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, where hundreds of deaths and more than a thousand suspected cases have been reported. Experts warn that continued regional cooperation will be crucial in preventing further cross-border spread of the disease.