KMPDU Secretary-General Dr Davji Atellah/HANDOUTThe Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) has called for urgent measures to protect healthcare workers following confirmation of an imported case of Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease in Kenya.
The patient, who was receiving treatment at Nairobi Hospital, has since died, prompting renewed concerns over the country’s preparedness to respond to high-consequence infectious diseases.
In a statement issued, KMPDU Secretary-General Dr Davji Atellah expressed condolences to the family of the deceased while commending healthcare workers who attended to the patient and continue to work on the frontline.
“This development must be treated with the seriousness it deserves,” Atellah said, while acknowledging the Ministry of Health’s activation of contact tracing and other outbreak response measures.
He said the confirmed case should serve as a reminder that Kenya’s preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks cannot be left to chance, particularly because healthcare workers are among those exposed to the greatest risks during an outbreak.
“Our healthcare workers must not be the weakest link in our response. They must be our first line of protection,” Atellah said.
KMPDU called for immediate medical monitoring, psychological support and appropriate follow-up for healthcare workers who may have come into contact with the patient at Nairobi Hospital or at other points of care.
The union also urged the government to ensure that health facilities have adequate supplies of specialised personal protective equipment, effective infection prevention protocols and properly trained personnel to handle suspected cases.
Atellah further called on counties without medical cover for their healthcare workers to provide the necessary protection.
He also criticised delays in healthcare workers accessing services through the Social Health Authority, calling for the system to stop locking out health workers because of delayed remittances by their employers.
On contact tracing, KMPDU said the exercise must be rigorous, timely and transparent, with healthcare workers and members of the public receiving regular and accurate updates on the response.
The union warned that gaps in communication could fuel misinformation and confusion at a time when clear information is critical to containing the disease.
KMPDU also challenged the government to immediately confirm that isolation and high-consequence infectious disease treatment units in regional referral facilities are operational, adequately equipped and staffed by trained personnel.
“Preparedness cannot exist only in policy documents,” the union said, stressing that facilities should not wait for cases to increase before identifying gaps in their ability to manage patients.
The doctors’ union further called for healthcare workers and their representatives to be included in national and county emergency response structures.
According to Atellah, frontline workers understand the practical challenges and risks within the health system and should therefore play a central role in decisions on containment, infection prevention and worker protection.
KMPDU said it would continue monitoring the situation and engaging relevant authorities to ensure the necessary safeguards are implemented.
The union urged the government to respond with urgency, transparency and responsibility, stressing that protecting healthcare workers is central to protecting the wider public from the spread of the disease.
