The United States has revealed that it is considering alternative locations for handling Americans exposed to Ebola if legal challenges continue to delay the establishment of a proposed quarantine facility at Laikipia Air Base in Kenya.
Speaking during a White House briefing, Dr. Mehmet Oz said Washington remains engaged in discussions with the Kenyan government regarding the facility but has also identified other options, including military bases in the United Kingdom and Germany, should the Kenyan plan fail to proceed.
The proposed facility, located at Laikipia Air Base in central Kenya, is intended to serve as a quarantine and monitoring center for American citizens exposed to Ebola during the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda.
Legal challenge to Kenya Ebola site forces US to explore options. Photo: Courtesy.
According to US officials, the site would have a capacity of 50 patients and would be staffed by more than 30 members of the US Public Health Service.
Patients requiring advanced treatment would later be transferred to specialized medical facilities in Europe.
The project, which is reportedly backed by a $13 million US investment, has faced growing opposition in Kenya despite assurances from both governments that it is part of broader regional preparedness efforts against Ebola.
The facility is also one of several planned health preparedness centers being developed in partnership between Kenya and the United States.
However, the plan has been temporarily halted by the Kenyan High Court following petitions filed by civil society groups, including the Katiba Institute and the Law Society of Kenya.
The petitioners argue that the project was approved without adequate public participation and could pose public health risks to Kenyans.
Notably, the controversy has sparked protests in Nanyuki and other parts of Laikipia County, with residents expressing concern over the decision to host a facility for foreign nationals despite Kenya having no confirmed Ebola cases.
Demonstrators questioned why exposed Americans cannot be treated in the United States or other Western countries instead.
Despite the court battle and public backlash, Kenyan officials have defended the project as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to infectious disease outbreaks.
President William Ruto has maintained that the facility would also benefit Kenyans by enhancing national preparedness against potential Ebola cases entering the country from neighboring states.
For now, the future of the Laikipia facility remains uncertain as Washington weighs alternative locations while continuing negotiations with Nairobi.
