The Trump administration is planning to establish a quarantine and treatment facility in Kenya for U.S. citizens exposed to or infected with Ebola during the escalating outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. White House officials confirmed the facility is intended for those exposed to the virus, noting that the U.S. will not be transporting individuals who develop symptoms back to the United States.
The proposed facility, which would be built by the U.S. military, is expected to have 50 beds. Administration officials stated that this arrangement would provide quicker care for patients and allow them to avoid the hourslong medical evacuation required to return to the U.S.
Kenya is currently in talks with the U.S. regarding this health cooperation, though the Kenyan government has not yet approved the plan. Sources indicate that Kenya wants the facility to be open to all nationalities, and the project has faced fierce opposition from Kenyan medical groups.
The decision to treat Americans abroad has drawn criticism from some experts, who argue that not allowing citizens to return to the U.S. hurts treatment efforts. One expert described the plans as a dramatic abdication of what the government owes its own citizens.