By Bonface Mulyungi
President William Ruto on Thursday held a phone conversation with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The two leaders discussed Kenya’s preparedness efforts amid the ongoing Ebola outbreak and broader cooperation on public health response measures.
According to a statement released by the Office of the Spokesperson in the United States, the talks focused on strengthening Kenya’s health systems, securing critical medical supplies, and enhancing coordination between Nairobi and Washington.
This comes amid fears growing over the spread of the deadly virus in the region.
“The Secretary and President Ruto discussed coordinated efforts to secure vital medical supplies for Kenya and ensure the strength and preparedness of Kenya’s health system,” the statement said.
The conversation comes at a time when concerns have intensified over East Africa’s readiness to contain a possible cross-border spread of Ebola, a highly infectious disease that has historically posed serious threats to public health systems across the continent.
In the latest commitment announced during the discussions, the United States Government said it intends to provide $13.5 million (approximately Sh1.7 billion) toward Kenya’s Ebola preparedness efforts.
The funding is expected to support surveillance, emergency response systems, health infrastructure, and the acquisition of critical medical equipment and supplies.
Washington also revealed that it has already committed $112 million (Sh14.4 billion) in bilateral assistance toward the wider regional Ebola response.
The statement further indicated that President Ruto and Rubio agreed to maintain close coordination as the situation evolves, underscoring the need for continued cooperation between the two countries in managing public health threats.
“The two leaders agreed to maintain close coordination as the situation evolves and to continue leveraging the strong U.S.-Kenya health partnership that has proven essential in addressing public health challenges in Kenya and across East Africa,” the statement added.
Kenya and the United States have maintained a longstanding partnership in the health sector, particularly in areas such as HIV/AIDS treatment, pandemic response, disease surveillance, and vaccine support.
The relationship gained renewed prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the two countries collaborated on emergency health interventions and medical support.
Rubio’s remarks also appeared to underscore Washington’s strategic interest in ensuring Ebola does not spread beyond the region and eventually reach American territory.
“The United States’ highest priority remains protecting the health and security of the American people by working to prevent the Ebola outbreak from reaching our shores,” the statement said.
Health experts have warned that early preparedness, surveillance, public awareness, and rapid response mechanisms remain critical in preventing large-scale outbreaks of Ebola, which has a high fatality rate.
The disease spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids.
