Ebola Training Centre Established in Mombasa for Outbreak Preparedness

By Harrison Kivisu

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

Mombasa County has established an Ebola preparedness training centre at Port Reitz Subcounty Hospital to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers to respond to a possible outbreak.

The facility, established by the County Department of Health with support from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors without Borders, will be used to train health workers through simulation exercises on Ebola case management, infection prevention and control, biosafety, and the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Mombasa County public health emergency operations center (PHEOC) manager Fatma Ali said the centre was purely a preparedness measure and should not be interpreted to mean that Kenya has recorded an Ebola case.

“The new training facility is designed to strengthen the capacity of healthcare workers, including the Ministry of Health, Mombasa Department of Health and MSF teams, to safely and effectively respond in the event of an Ebola outbreak,” she said.

She added that the facility could be converted into an isolation unit if the need arises. MSF Nursing Activity Manager in Mombasa, Caroline Mogun, said investing in preparedness would help protect both health workers and the public.

“Preparedness is our strongest defence against public health threats. By investing in training, simulation exercises and isolation capacity now, we are strengthening our ability to protect patients, frontline staff and communities.”

The official urged residents to remain calm reiterating that there is no Ebola outbreak in Mombasa or anywhere in Kenya.

“These activities are precautionary measures aimed at strengthening preparedness. We encourage the public to rely on trusted sources of information,” she said.

MSF is currently supporting Ebola response efforts in Uganda and the DRC and is working with Kenya’s Ministry of Health and Mombasa County to enhance national preparedness.

The organisation has also established an Emergency Simulation Centre in Nairobi to provide scenario-based training for health workers and teams deployed to support regional outbreak responses.

Kenya has not reported any Ebola cases. However, the World Health Organization has classified the country as a Priority 2 nation for Ebola preparedness because of its close links with neighbouring Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where outbreaks have occurred.

The Ministry of Health has identified 25 high-risk counties, including Mombasa and Nairobi, for enhanced surveillance, screening at points of entry, and strengthening isolation and emergency response capacity.

According to Sarah Lachat MSF project coordinator for Mombasa said Ebola is a severe viral disease that causes fever, weakness and, in some cases, internal and external bleeding.

The current regional outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, which spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials.