Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has appointed Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) Deputy Secretary General Dr Dennis Miskellah to the National Ebola Disease Taskforce, bringing the doctors’ union into the team coordinating Kenya’s response to the outbreak.
The appointment was communicated in a letter dated October 19, 2026, following a request by KMPDU Secretary General Dr Davji Atellah to include the union in the national coordination team.
Atellah said the union’s participation would provide technical expertise, strengthen communication and help protect healthcare workers involved in containing the disease. He made the request after the union’s National Advisory Council meeting on October 16, 2026, where members agreed that KMPDU should take an active role in the national response.
In his appointment letter, Duale said the Ministry of Health formed the taskforce to provide strategic leadership and coordinate national efforts following confirmation of Kenya’s first imported case of Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus on October 6, 2026.
“In recognition of your experience and the important role of your organisation in protecting the health of Kenyans, I am pleased to appoint you as a Member of the National Ebola Disease Taskforce,” Duale stated.
The taskforce is chaired by the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Public Health and Professional Standards, while the Chief Executive Officer of the Council of Governors serves as co-chair.
Miskellah’s responsibilities include attending meetings, advising on outbreak preparedness and response, and supporting communication and mobilization among the healthcare workers and other groups he represents. He will also help implement the taskforce’s decisions and action points and undertake additional duties assigned by its chairperson.
Duale directed members to keep discussions confidential, particularly information concerning patients, contacts and budgets. He added that all public updates on the outbreak response would be issued through authorized Ministry of Health channels.
The appointment marks Miskellah’s second national-level position in less than a month. National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi appointed him to the Board of Trustees of the Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAPFUND) for a three-year term effective October 9, 2026. The appointment was published in Gazette Notice No. 15978 under the Local Authorities Provident Fund Act.
Miskellah also served on an 18-member taskforce appointed by President William Ruto in 2024 to address human resource challenges in the health sector.
His latest appointment gives KMPDU a formal role in the national Ebola coordination structure as authorities continue efforts to contain the outbreak and support healthcare workers on the front line.