A Kenyan court has temporarily blocked the opening of a proposed Ebola quarantine facility for US nationals, pending the outcome of a legal challenge by a rights group.
The centre, planned for Laikipia Air Base about 200 kilometres north of Nairobi, was scheduled to open on Friday to isolate American citizens arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a major Ebola outbreak is ongoing.
It was expected to include 50 isolation beds and be staffed by US medical personnel, according to officials.
In its ruling, the court issued a conservatory order restraining authorities from proceeding with the project.
“A conservatory order is hereby issued restraining the respondents from establishing… any Ebola exposure, quarantine, isolation or treatment facility in Kenya,” the order stated.
The case has triggered political and public debate in Kenya, which has so far reported no Ebola cases linked to the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The proposed arrangement stems from a health cooperation agreement signed between Kenya and the United States in December last year, though it is now being challenged in court.
The petition was filed by the Katiba Institute, which accused authorities of acting without transparency.
“The facility is being established in secrecy and unilaterally, raising grave constitutional concerns,” the rights group said in court documents.
The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union also criticised the plan, warning it risked public health and national trust.
“The government is trading the lives of its citizens for foreign aid,” the union said, adding that doctors could embark on industrial action if demands for transparency are ignored.
Kenya’s health ministry has said it remains open to international cooperation but has not directly addressed the proposed facility.
The government now has 48 hours to respond, while a further hearing has been scheduled for next month.
