By Bonfce Mulyungi
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda has prompted humanitarian organisations to strengthen preparedness efforts, aimed at ensuring a rapid response in the event of any confirmed case in Kenya.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has established a specialised Ebola simulation and training facility in Kenya to equip frontline responders with the skills needed to manage potential outbreaks. The centre is the second of its kind globally, after Brussels in Belgium.
Training sessions are set to begin next week and will run through to August.
Inside one of the lodges in Rongai, Kajiado County, is a carefully designed replica of an Ebola treatment centre. Built by MSF, the facility serves as a practical training ground for emergency response teams.
It is not an isolation or treatment facility, but a full-scale simulation of a real Ebola treatment unit, recreating conditions that health workers are likely to encounter during an outbreak.
Angela Thiong’o, project coordinator at the MSF Ebola Simulation Centre, said the training is initially targeting MSF personnel before expanding to government and international partners.
“Here, we are training healthcare workers, with priority given to MSF staff so that they can go and respond. Later, we will expand the training to Ministry of Health staff and other international organisations. For now, the target is to train 25 participants twice a week every week until we are able to have good coverage,” she said.
The facility uses lifelike mannequins to simulate critical scenarios. From the entry point to patient care areas, every section mirrors a real treatment unit, complete with clearly marked zones, infection control barriers and protocols designed to protect both patients and healthcare workers.
Thiong’o explained the importance of proper protective procedures.
“So we are heading to the donning area. You know that wearing protective gear is important, so we call it donning, and it is written in both English and French to capture all participants,” she said.
The centre operates under a strict one-way movement system. Once a person enters, there is no return, as movement follows a controlled path designed to reduce contamination risk and enforce strict infection prevention measures.
Thiong’o further noted that the donning area is fully equipped with protective gear.
“This is the donning area. Once the healthcare worker comes in here, we have all the protective equipment they are supposed to take, including coveralls, aprons, masks and gumboots. They are also not supposed to go in with their clothes, so they start by wearing scrubs inside before putting on coveralls,” she explained.
Ebola is primarily transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. For this reason, healthcare workers are required to wear full protective equipment covering the entire body to minimise the risk of exposure.
The facility is divided into distinct zones, including sections for suspected cases, confirmed patients and, in the event of fatalities, a designated mortuary area.
MSF Kenya Country Director Tawhid Hamid said the training will bring together both experienced responders and first-time trainees.
“People who are coming there will be a mixture of those who have previously responded to Ebola outbreaks for refresher training and those who have never been there before. They will be trained and later deployed,” he said.
In Ebola response situations, strict adherence to protocol is critical, particularly during the process of putting on and removing protective gear, where a single mistake can lead to exposure.
Thiong’o also described the careful removal process after contamination risk.
The Ministry of Health, through the Kenya National Public Health Institute, is also conducting parallel training programmes to strengthen the country’s emergency preparedness and response capacity.
