Kenya Blocks U.S. Plan for an Ebola Facility for Americans
A Kenyan high court has blocked the U.S. plan to establish an Ebola triage facility for Americans at Laikipia air base. The court's decision came after local civil society groups raised concerns about the facility's constitutionality and its focus on American citizens rather than Kenyans. U.S. officials had intended for the facility to monitor and provide initial care for Americans exposed to Ebola during the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
- ▪The facility was scheduled to open on May 29 but has been blocked by a Kenyan high court.
- ▪Local health groups opposed the facility, arguing it would not serve Kenyans.
- ▪The U.S. government planned to use the facility to quarantine Americans exposed to Ebola and transport them to Europe for further care.
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The U.S. government’s plan for managing Americans who might have been exposed to the Ebola virus in the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda is to triage them in a newly built facility in Kenya. But a Kenyan high court blocked the planned opening of the facility, which was scheduled for May 29. The court order was in response to a petition filed by a Kenyan civil society group questioning the constitutionality of the facility, according to the New York Times. Local health groups there have also opposed the facility, since it would not provide care to Kenyans but focus only on American citizens.In a press briefing on May 28—before the opening of the facility was blocked—senior White House officials said the U.S.
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