President Cyril Ramaphosa and Kenyan President William Ruto used Thursday’s state visit in Pretoria to highlight Africa’s Ebola preparedness efforts, with both leaders warning that the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo requires a coordinated continental response.
The Ebola discussion formed part of broader talks during Ruto’s visit to South Africa, which also covered trade, migration and regional security.
As outlined in our earlier coverage of the Kenya state visit to South Africa, both governments used the meeting to reinforce cooperation on shared continental challenges.
Speaking at a joint media briefing, Ramaphosa reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s health response capacity through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
“Ebola, as President Ruto said, is a pandemic, one that should concern all of us on the African continent,” Ramaphosa said.
The President noted South Africa’s earlier $5 million contribution to the Africa CDC, aimed at strengthening health systems and outbreak preparedness in the DRC, Uganda and other countries facing elevated risk.
“Our health systems on the continent need to be not only strengthened, but there needs to be readiness to deal with pandemics like this,” he said.
South Africa and Kenya step up Ebola preparedness efforts
Ruto stressed that Kenya has not recorded any Ebola cases but said developments in eastern DRC remain a concern.
“The situation in Eastern DRC is a source of concern for any country, including Kenya, that is mindful of matters of the health of its citizens,” he said.
The Kenyan President said authorities screen between 2,000 and 3,000 people daily at entry points, have trained thousands of health workers and established 23 isolation facilities across the country.
Ruto also defended Kenya’s cooperation with the United States on Ebola preparedness following criticism of a quarantine facility planned at Laikipia Air Base.
“The American government has supported us in this Ebola infrastructure to the tune of 1.8 million Kenya shillings,” Ruto said.
“They did make a request to us, in the process of setting up all the other facilities, to also set up one they can use in the event that their citizens, their soldiers, some of them in Kenya or from elsewhere, are affected.”
The facility has become the subject of legal and political debate in Kenya.
According to a recent US-Kenya Ebola response statement, Washington says the project forms part of wider efforts to improve disease detection, testing and regional preparedness.
The latest Ebola outbreak has infected hundreds of people in the DRC and spread into neighbouring Uganda, raising concerns about cross-border transmission. While Kenya has no confirmed cases, authorities continue to strengthen surveillance and screening measures.
Ramaphosa called on governments and international partners to continue supporting the Africa CDC and national health systems.
“For us to do so is to protect the peoples of Africa,” he said.
In case you missed it: NOWinSA previously reported on the South Africa-Kenya refugee dispute that tested relations between the two countries.
Stay updated with the trending, insightful stories driving the continent’s growth on the NOWinSA Africa NewsDesk — Stories Shaping South Africa Today.
