Kenya: MSF Statement On Announcement Of First Reported Ebola Case

Geneva, 7 October 2026 - Following the announcement by Kenya’s Ministry of Health (MoH) of the country’s first confirmed Ebola case and subsequent death in Nairobi, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in close coordination with the MoH and other actors is following the situation closely. Since the beginning of this regional outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, MSF has been actively supporting Kenya’s Ebola response preparedness in various locations.

In June 2026, MSF opened an Ebola simulation and training center in Kajiado County, near Nairobi, to support the preparedness efforts among MSF staff deploying to the DRC, Ministry of Health personnel, local healthcare workers, and partner organizations. The facility replicates an Ebola treatment center and provides training on the safe use of personal protective equipment (PPE), infection prevention and control measures, and emergency response procedures. A total of 355 professionals, including 84 Kenyan healthcare workers, have been trained at the center.

In July, the Mombasa County Department of Health, with support from MSF, established an Ebola training center at Port Reitz Sub-County Hospital to strengthen preparedness for a potential outbreak. More recently, in Busia County along the Kenya-Uganda border, MSF teams have been supporting Ministry of Health staff with preparedness activities, including the isolation and management of suspected Ebola cases and the implementation of infection prevention and control measures.

MSF has extensive experience responding to Ebola outbreaks, including through its ongoing response in the DRC, where more than 8,200 people have been infected and 4,000 have died. Beyond providing patient care, MSF teams support infection prevention and control measures and invest heavily in community engagement. A key lesson from this experience is that strong community engagement and trusted sources of information are essential to addressing fear and misinformation, building trust, and enabling an effective public health response.

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For almost 40 years, MSF has been providing medical and humanitarian assistance in Kenya, responding to disease outbreaks, health emergencies, and barriers to healthcare access alongside vulnerable groups such as refugees or marginalized populations. Working closely with health authorities and local communities, MSF keeps delivering a wide range of services including emergency medical care, disease prevention and surveillance, water and sanitation support, and essential healthcare services for populations in both urban and remote areas across the country. For more information, please visit: Kenya | MSF medical and humanitarian aid