Kenya blocks U.S. Ebola facility as court halts quarantine camp

Kenya blocks U.S. Ebola facility

A Nairobi high court issued an injunction on May 29, halting the opening of a U.S.-funded quarantine camp intended for Americans potentially exposed to Ebola in the DRC‑Uganda outbreak. The ruling stemmed from a petition by a Kenyan civil‑society coalition that argued the site, planned for Laikipa air base, violates the constitution because it would serve only U.S. citizens while Kenyan patients remain excluded.

Facility details: the temporary compound was to house ↓ 50 beds, three four‑patient isolation units and two two‑patient biocontainment pods. U.S. officials said the units would be stocked with monoclonal antibodies, remdesivir and full respiratory support, and that roughly thirty‑two public‑health workers, many veterans of the 2014 West Africa crisis, would staff the site.

“The strategy is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about resources, timing and the level of care Americans would receive,” said Dr. Ronald Nahass, president of the Infectious Disease Society of America.

White House spokespeople maintain the plan was designed to shorten the interval between exposure and treatment, noting that any patient testing positive would be transferred to specialized centers in Europe rather than the United States. Critics, including Reuters and the New York Times, point to the logistical oddity of sending sick Americans to a foreign continent for advanced care.

Local health groups also voiced alarm, arguing the exclusive focus on U.S. nationals undermines Kenya’s own public‑health capacity and could set a precedent for foreign‑run medical enclaves on African soil.