The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has issued a series of demands to the government following the confirmation of Kenya’s first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease.

In a statement signed by KMPDU Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer Dr Davji Bhimji Atellah, Deputy Chairman Dr Kahura Mundia, Deputy Secretary General Dr Miskellah Dennis and Deputy Treasurer Dr Renoh Omoro, the union called for urgent measures to protect healthcare workers and strengthen the country’s preparedness to contain the disease.

KMPDU said it had learnt with “deep sorrow and concern” of the confirmation of the Ebola case and the subsequent death of the patient while receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital.

“We extend our sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased. We also recognise the healthcare workers who attended to the patient and who continue to serve at the frontline under circumstances that carry significant personal risk,” the statement reads.

The union said the development must be treated with the seriousness it deserves, warning that preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases should not be left to chance.

“While we acknowledge the Ministry of Health’s activation of contact tracing and outbreak response measures, the confirmed case is also a reminder that our preparedness for high-consequence infectious diseases cannot be left to chance,” KMPDU said.

KMPDU said healthcare workers who may have come into contact with the patient, whether at Nairobi Hospital or other points of care, should receive immediate medical monitoring, psychological support and appropriate follow-up.

The union also called for all health facilities to have access to specialised personal protective equipment (PPE), infection prevention protocols and training required to safely manage suspected Ebola cases.

“The safety of healthcare workers must be treated as a national priority,” the union said.

KMPDU further demanded that counties without medical cover provide the same for their healthcare workers.

“We also demand that all counties that don’t have a medical cover ensure that they provide the same for their healthcare workers. The SHA must stop locking out healthcare workers from accessing services due to delayed remittances by the employers,” the union said.

The union said contact tracing must be rigorous, timely and transparent following the confirmation of the imported case.

KMPDU called for healthcare workers and the public to receive clear, accurate and regular information on the government’s response to the outbreak.

It said authorities must provide adequate information without creating unnecessary panic or leaving room for misinformation.

“We cannot afford gaps in information when dealing with a disease of this nature,” the union said.

The union also said preparedness should go beyond policy documents and called on the government to immediately confirm that isolation and high-consequence infectious disease treatment units in regional referral facilities are functional.

It further demanded that the facilities be adequately equipped and staffed by trained personnel.

“Preparedness cannot exist only in policy documents,” KMPDU said.

The union warned that the country should not wait for more cases to be reported before discovering gaps in the preparedness of healthcare facilities.

KMPDU also called for healthcare workers and their unions to be meaningfully represented in national and county emergency response structures.

The union said healthcare workers directly involved in patient care understand the realities, gaps and risks within the health system.

“Their expertise must inform decisions on containment, infection prevention and protection of healthcare workers,” KMPDU said.

The union said it would continue monitoring the situation and engaging relevant authorities to ensure the necessary safeguards are implemented.

“We call on the government to act with urgency, transparency and responsibility,” the union said.

“The message from KMPDU is clear: when we protect healthcare workers, we protect the entire country. We stand with the healthcare workers on the frontline, and we stand with the people of Kenya.”

Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease after a patient who had travelled from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through Uganda died while receiving treatment in Nairobi.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale confirmed the case on Tuesday, October 6, saying the patient had arrived in Kenya from the DRC after travelling through Uganda.

“The Ministry of Health wishes to inform members of the public that it has confirmed the first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease,” Duale said.

The patient had been living and working in the DRC for the past seven years and fell ill about a month ago.

He was treated at several hospitals in the DRC before travelling by road to Uganda as he made his way back to Kenya.

Duale said the patient later boarded a Jambojet flight carrying 23 passengers and four crew members and arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday, October 3, at 1:10pm.

The patient underwent routine public health screening at JKIA before proceeding through the immigration desk.

He was later transported directly from the airport by relatives and friends in a Toyota Fielder to Nairobi Hospital, where he was isolated in a separate room.

At the hospital, the patient presented with fever, chills, intense fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, painful swallowing and bleeding under the skin.

“Based on the presentation and history of travel, the doctors considered his case to be viral fever and collected samples for testing, which turned positive for Ebola,” Duale said.

The samples were tested at the National Virology Reference Laboratory operated by the National Public Health Institute and the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).

Both laboratories confirmed that the patient was infected with Ebola.

The patient was subsequently placed on supportive treatment but died on Monday, October 5, at 11:30pm.

“Arrangements for the safe and dignified burial of the deceased are ongoing, and the burial is planned for later today in line with Ebola-safe and dignified burial protocols,” Duale said.

The Ministry of Health has so far identified 28 contacts linked to the deceased, including family members and healthcare workers who attended to him during his treatment.

Duale said health authorities were also pursuing the 23 passengers and four crew members who travelled on the same flight as the deceased.

“We are also pursuing a further 23 passengers and four crew members who were on the same flight with the deceased,” he added.

The Ministry has stepped up surveillance and response measures following the confirmation of the imported case.

Duale said 4,971 healthcare workers at both national and county levels had been trained on Ebola prevention and management.

He added that the government had notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of the confirmed case.

“All systems are in place to mitigate the spread of the disease,” the CS reiterated.

The confirmed case in Kenya comes amid an ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the DRC.

As of October 2, 2026, the DRC had recorded 8,442 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,080 confirmed deaths, according to the figures provided.