MPs raise alarm over Kenya’s readiness for Ebola outbreak
Lawmakers have raised concerns over Kenya’s preparedness to respond to infectious disease outbreaks, following renewed fears sparked by reported Ebola cases in parts of the region.
Appearing before the Parliamentary Health Committee, Khwisero Member of Parliament Christopher Aseka questioned whether the Ministry of Health had put in place adequate systems to deal with a possible outbreak.
“Is the Ministry prepared for Ebola, noting the outbreak?” he posed.
Health Committee Chairperson James Nyikal urged the Ministry to present a detailed national emergency response plan to Parliament, warning that preparedness gaps could expose the country to significant public health risks.
According to the Health Committee report, the government has allocated Ksh700 million under the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience Programme, aimed at procuring and installing emergency response equipment for outbreak management.
The Budget Committee, led by Vice Chair Robert Pukose, held discussions with the Departmental Committee on Health to review the proposed 2026/27 budget estimates, with emphasis on strengthening healthcare financing, staffing, and disease preparedness as key pillars for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
At the same time, Budget Committee Chair Samuel Atandi stressed the importance of improving staffing levels and ensuring sustainable funding for public health institutions, noting that most Kenyans rely heavily on government hospitals.
The Health Committee report shows that the health sector has been allocated Sh175.5 billion in the 2026/27 financial year, representing 7.29 per cent of the national budget.
Nyikal also warned that national referral hospitals were under strain due to inadequate human resource capacity, despite rising demand for specialized medical services.
“Our national referral facilities are suffering particularly in the area of human resource. Even if we get some additional funding for each referral hospital, particularly teaching hospitals like Kenyatta, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital and Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital, it would help,” he said.
Lawmakers further called on the Ministry of Health and the Social Health Authority (SHA) to establish a predictable and timely reimbursement system for health facilities to prevent disruptions in service delivery.
Pukose noted that delayed payments to hospitals had contributed to mounting pending bills and operational challenges, especially in public facilities that rely heavily on SHA reimbursements.
The Budget Committee also flagged funding gaps within the State Department for Medical Services, highlighting shortfalls in critical areas including SHA allocations, personnel costs, cancer care programmes, and health infrastructure projects.
