USA House Foreign Affairs Committee oppose Trump move to outsource care of American Ebola patients to Kenya
USA House Foreign Affairs Committee oppose Trump move to outsource care of American Ebola patients to Kenya
The United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs has criticised the Trump administration over its handling of American Ebola patients, arguing that the U.S. government has a responsibility to care for its citizens at home rather than rely on a foreign country.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the committee said the United States already has specialised facilities capable of safely treating Ebola patients.
As such, the committee argued that affected Americans should be repatriated and treated in their country rather than being accommodated in treatment facilities established abroad.
“Our government has a responsibility to help Americans abroad. The U.S. already has domestic facilities specifically designed to safely care for Ebola patients. The Trump administration should bring Americans home and help them, not outsource that responsibility to a foreign government,” the committee said.
The committee further said that both the U.S. and Kenyan governments should take seriously the concerns raised by Kenyan civil society groups regarding the proposed Ebola facility.
The remarks came days after the High Court suspended plans by the Trump administration to establish a temporary Ebola quarantine and treatment facility at the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Laikipia Air Base.
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The proposed facility was to be funded by the U.S. military and used to isolate and treat American citizens exposed to or infected with Ebola while serving in outbreak-affected regions.
However, the project quickly attracted opposition from civil society groups and local residents, who questioned the health, legal, and sovereignty implications of hosting such a facility in Kenya.
The controversy deepened after reports by CNN indicated that some Americans had already arrived at Laikipia Air Base before the facility became fully operational.
The developments triggered protests in Nanyuki on Monday, with hundreds of residents taking to the streets to oppose the establishment of the quarantine centre.
Following the demonstrations, the U.S. government issued a travel advisory warning its citizens in Kenya to remain vigilant, citing the possibility of further protests in Nanyuki and other urban centres.
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