US seeks $1.4bn to stop Ebola spread, funds Kenya quarantine amid Kenya protests
US President Donald Trump's administration is asking Congress for more than $1.4 billion to stop the spreading Ebola outbreak from reaching the United States and to treat and evacuate Americans exposed abroad. The biggest slice, $800 million, would build a quarantine centre at Kenya's Laikipia Air Base for US citizens exposed to the virus, plus pay for supplies, treatment, contact tracing, logistics and infection-control measures. Another $500 million would boost global health security programmes to halt cross-border spread, while $90 million would cover diplomatic and emergency evacuation efforts.
The request comes as the outbreak worsens in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which had 1,094 confirmed cases and 277 deaths by June 22, and Uganda reported 20 cases and two deaths by June 24. Protesters in Kenya's Laikipia region have opposed the quarantine base, fearing that close contact between military personnel and local communities could bring the virus to towns like Nanyuki. The request also faces possible pushback in Congress over previous cuts to USAID and African health programmes.
For Nigerians, the news highlights two risks: the potential spread of Ebola through regional travel routes that link East and West Africa, and the continuing slide of the naira, which closed at N1,389 to the dollar - the steepest daily drop since April. Meanwhile, a retired police chief warned many Nigerian states may lack funds to implement new state-police initiatives.
Will you adjust travel plans, support stronger regional health surveillance, or consider how naira volatility affects your spending and savings decisions?