A United States congressman has strongly opposed a reported plan by President Donald Trump to send American citizens infected with Ebola to Kenya for isolation and treatment, arguing that the U.S. has enough capacity to handle the patients within its own facilities.
Mr Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Washington should take responsibility for its own citizens instead of shifting the burden to Kenya.
“There are specialized facilities in the United States designed to safely handle Ebola patients. The Trump administration should bring those Americans home and care for them instead of transferring the responsibility to another government,” Meeks said through the Democratic Foreign Affairs Committee’s X account.
He also questioned the decision to ask Kenya to host the patients while the United States has significantly reduced funding for Kenya’s health sector.
His remarks come amid reports by American media claiming that U.S. officials have already arrived at the Laikipia Air Base.
The congressman accused the Trump administration of weakening global health systems through cuts to international health and aid funding.
“Trump and Rubio dismantled USAID, reduced funding for global health programs, and withdrew the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO),” he said.
The reported plan has sparked mixed reactions among Kenyans living in the United States. Professor Kefa Otiso of Bowling Green State University said he does not believe the facility would increase the risk of Ebola spreading in Kenya, noting that the country has previously established preparedness centers for the disease.And why kenya
“Sooner or later, Ebola will reach Kenya anyway,” he said.
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