Since the beginning of the regional Ebola disease outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, MSF has been actively supporting Kenya’s Ebola disease response preparedness in various locations.
In June 2026, MSF opened an Ebola simulation and training center in Kajiado county, near Nairobi, to support preparedness efforts among MSF staff working in DRC, Ministry of Health personnel, local health care 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 health care workers, have been trained at the center.
Strengthening outbreak preparedness
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 patients with suspected Ebola cases and the implementation of infection prevention and control measures.
Community engagement is critical to contain the Ebola disease outbreak
MSF has extensive experience responding to Ebola disease outbreaks, including through our ongoing response in 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 is essential to addressing fear and misinformation, building trust, and enabling an effective public health response.
