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KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah (left) with Deputy Secretary-General Dennis Miskellah. [Courtesy]
The Ministry of Health has appointed Dennis Miskellah, deputy secretary-general of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), to the National Ebola Disease Taskforce after the union raised concerns about the exclusion of frontline health workers from the response.
In a letter dated October 19, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the appointment was based on Miskellah’s experience and expertise in the health sector.
“In recognition of your experience and the important role of your organization in protecting the health of Kenyans, I am pleased to appoint you as a member of the National Ebola Disease Taskforce, with effect from the date of this letter,” the letter read.
Miskellah is expected to advise on outbreak preparedness and response, support coordination and communication, and mobilise the constituency he represents. His duties also include attending taskforce meetings, helping implement decisions and undertaking other assignments from the chairperson.
The appointment follows criticism from KMPDU Secretary-General Davji Atellah and Miskellah, who accused the government of excluding frontline health unions from the multisectoral team coordinating Kenya’s Ebola preparedness and response.
The two argued that while the Ministry of Health, development partners and county governments, represented by the Council of Governors, had seats on the taskforce, unions representing frontline health workers had been left out despite their role in protecting medical staff.
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They said the government had included professional associations responsible for ethics and regulation but excluded unions mandated to protect workers’ rights, safety and welfare.
The concerns intensified after reports that three health workers tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola after attending to a patient at Nairobi Hospital.
The union leaders urged the ministry to involve doctors and other frontline workers in preparedness and response measures and ensure they have adequate protective equipment. They warned that health workers could not be expected to risk their lives treating patients without proper protective equipment and safe working conditions.
The taskforce is chaired by Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni, and co-chaired by the chief executive officer of the Council of Governors. It was established to provide strategic leadership and coordinate the national response to the outbreak.
The ministry has said taskforce deliberations, including information on contacts, patients and budgets, are confidential and must not be shared publicly. “All public communication on the response is made through authorized Ministry of Health channels,” Duale said.
Kenya confirmed its first imported case of Bundibugyo virus disease on October 6, 2026. As of Tuesday, October 20, the country had recorded eight confirmed cases and one death, with no recoveries reported. Health authorities continue to strengthen contact tracing, surveillance, and containment measures.
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