Washington: The Trump administration is working with Kenya and other international partners to maintain a quarantine and treatment arrangement near the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in Africa, with officials arguing that potentially exposed Americans should not be transported directly to the United States.
During a White House news conference, Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr Mehmet Oz said the administration’s preference is to keep treatment facilities as close as possible to outbreak zones, allowing patients to receive care quickly while reducing the risks associated with long-distance travel.
“The main issue with having a facility close to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is if a patient is sick again, speak as a heart doctor, I want to take the patient to the O.R. that’s right next door to the room they’re sick in,” Oz said.
He added: “Sending them across the world, especially when we’re not sure what’s going on with them, is probably not the wisest move.”
The comments came amid questions about where American aid workers or responders exposed to Ebola would be treated if Kenya ultimately declines to host the facility.
Oz expressed confidence that diplomatic efforts led by the State Department would produce a solution.
“We are confident in the State Department is working on this diligently that they’re going to be able to work out something with Kenya,” he said.
Calling Kenya “a beautiful country” with “very sophisticated people”, Oz said he believed the two sides would reach an agreement.
“I think it’s a perfect solution,” he said.
The CMS administrator also indicated that Washington has contingency plans if the Kenyan arrangement does not materialise.
“There are other people who might be willing to welcome us and we have our German colleagues as well,” he said. “So there’s many places we can send folks.”
The administration’s broader Ebola response includes support for treatment facilities and enhanced screening measures for international travellers entering the United States.
Oz said National Institutes of Health Director Dr Jay Bhattacharya, who is also overseeing the federal response effort, is coordinating preparedness measures with assistance from White House officials and public health experts.
“He’s got a lot of help from Doctor Heidi Overton and many others at the White House so it’s a well constructed game plan,” Oz said.
According to Oz, the U.S. government is helping fund treatment efforts in affected regions and has deployed additional screening tools at major international airports.
“We have very purposefully put up testing tools and mechanisms at the major airports for that people will be traveling through,” he said.
The issue has taken on added significance as the United States prepares to host major international sporting events that are expected to draw large numbers of overseas visitors.
Asked whether restrictions on returning potentially exposed Americans could discourage healthcare workers from volunteering in outbreak zones, Oz said he did not believe that would happen and reiterated his confidence in ongoing talks with Kenya.
“I think we’re going to work out with Secretary Rubio’s leadership a very favorable arrangement with Kenya,” he said.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause haemorrhagic fever and has historically recorded fatality rates ranging from 25 to 90 per cent, depending on the outbreak and available treatment. Public health authorities generally prioritise rapid isolation, testing and treatment to prevent wider transmission.
(IANS)
