Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has appointed KMPDU deputy secretary general Dennis Miskellah to the National Ebola Disease Taskforce as the government steps up preparedness and response measures following confirmation of the disease in Kenya.
In an appointment letter dated October 19, Duale said the taskforce was constituted to provide strategic leadership and coordinate the national response to the outbreak.
Miskellah's appointment took effect immediately, with the CS citing his experience and the role of his organisation in protecting Kenyans' health.
The taskforce is chaired by the Principal Secretary of Public Health and Professional Standards Mary Muthoni and co-chaired by the chief executive officer of the Council of Governors, bringing together national and county-level leadership in the response.
"I am pleased to appoint you as a Member of the National Ebola Disease Taskforce, with effect from the date of this letter," Duale said.
As a member, Miskellah is expected to attend taskforce meetings, either physically or virtually, provide strategic advice on outbreak preparedness and response, and support coordination, communication and mobilisation of the constituency he represents.
He will also be required to support the implementation of the taskforce's decisions and action points and undertake other duties assigned by its chairperson.
Duale asked Miskellah to confirm his acceptance of the appointment in writing to the Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni.
The appointment comes as Kenya strengthens its preparedness following the Ministry of Health's confirmation of its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease on October 6, 2026.
The cases have risen to eight, including close family members of the first patient who died and medical staff who attended to him.
The government has established the taskforce to coordinate preparedness and response activities as concerns persist over the potential spread of Ebola from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak originated.
The letter imposes strict confidentiality requirements on members, with Duale warning that taskforce deliberations, including information concerning contacts, patients and budgets, must not be shared publicly.
"All public communication on the response is made through authorised Ministry of Health channels," Duale said in the letter.
The directive places responsibility on members to contribute to the national response while ensuring sensitive operational and patient information remains confidential.
Kenya's response requires coordination across different levels of government and relevant health institutions to strengthen preparedness, surveillance and the capacity to respond to potential further infections.
The appointment of a KMPDU official brings organised medical practitioners' representation into the taskforce as authorities coordinate measures to contain the threat and protect public health.
