Muturi presses Duale for answers after Ebola patient passes JKIA screening

Former Attorney General Justin Muturi has criticized Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale regarding Kenya's readiness to handle Ebola cases, following the confirmation of the nation's first Ebola patient. In a recent statement, Muturi challenged Duale to explain how the patient, who had been suffering from the virus for approximately a month and had received treatment in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), managed to enter Kenya and bypass screening at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

Muturi pointed out that the government had previously assured enhanced border surveillance and preparedness in anticipation of the first suspected cases. He noted that the patient traveled from the DRC to Uganda before arriving at JKIA, where he underwent port health screening before being taken directly to a Nairobi hospital for further examination.

Muturi questioned the effectiveness of the existing airport screening system if it failed to detect the case when the government had been prepared. He argued that preparedness should be evaluated based on actual events, such as the arrival of a suspected case, rather than merely through announcements or budget allocations. Muturi cited the Democratic Republic of Congo's experience with Ebola outbreaks, emphasizing that previous incidents had shown how public health emergencies could have broader implications.

Dr. Patrick Amoth, the Director-General of Kenya's Public Health, provided further insights during a media briefing, explaining how the patient, despite having been ill for a month and undergoing treatment in the DRC, managed to pass through Kenya's screening process. Amoth revealed that the patient's prior treatment and the medications he had been taking could have potentially masked symptoms like fever, possibly leading to a false negative in thermal screening systems.

He suggested that the patient's decision to seek immediate medical attention upon arrival in Kenya indicated he was aware of his condition.