The County Government of Uasin Gishu has stepped up its readiness against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) by convening a high-level micro-planning initiative.
The one-day session was aimed at crafting a robust, county-specific strategy for the prevention, containment, and management of a potential outbreak.
Bringing together senior health officials and development partners, the meeting was designed to sharpen coordination mechanisms and guarantee that the county was fully equipped to mount an effective response should the need arise.
Officially launching the session at the Governor’s boardroom Thursday, Dr. Billy Lubanga, the Chief Officer for Preventive and Promotive Health Services, stressed the need for a pragmatic and all-encompassing plan that covers every facet of Ebola prevention, early detection, and response.
He called on participants to prioritize the creation of a measurable, actionable blueprint that would steer the county’s efforts, with community involvement as the cornerstone of the strategy.
“Our objective is to formulate a comprehensive and practical Ebola preparedness plan. I urge us to stay the course and produce a quantifiable micro-plan, as community engagement remains the linchpin in both preventing and effectively responding to Ebola outbreaks,” Dr. Lubanga remarked.
Dr. Jacob Khaoya, Deputy Chief of Party for AMREF’s Imarisha Jamii Programme under the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, lauded Uasin Gishu County for its proactive stance in reinforcing health systems.
He confirmed that AMREF had joined forces with the county to bolster Ebola preparedness through technical support, capacity enhancement, and stronger collaborative frameworks aimed at elevating the standard of healthcare delivery.
The forum drew a wide array of stakeholders, including Dr. Evans Kiprotich, Director of Medical Services; Laban Kiprop, Director of Preventive and Promotive Health Services; Crispus Massam, Deputy Director of Medical Services; Mike Mwasame, County Disease Surveillance Coordinator.
Others included members of the Sub-County Health Management Teams (SCHMTs) and AMREF Technical Officer Mark Mwanja.
The county remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and multi-sectoral collaboration to shield residents from public health threats and build resilience against emerging infectious diseases.
According to government records, Kenya has not recorded a single case of Ebola and remains free of the virus, with the country scaling up active border screening and surveillance following a major outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain in the neighbouring Democratic Republic Congo (DRC).
The Ministry of Health has enhanced screening protocols along high-risk transport and refugee corridors, particularly toward Turkana and border points.
By Maurice Aluda
