Uganda has received international recognition for its handling of Ebola outbreaks, with World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commending the country’s expertise and leadership in responding to the deadly virus.
During a meeting with senior Ugandan government officials, including Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine, Dr. Tedros applauded Uganda’s strong public health systems and experience in managing Ebola emergencies.
However, he stressed that the fight against the virus requires continued regional cooperation, particularly in supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently battling a major outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
As part of its response, Uganda is deploying health workers to the DRC and establishing two 50-bed Ebola treatment units this week to help manage the growing number of cases.
The country has also strengthened border surveillance by operating two mobile laboratories in Bwera and Arua, boosting testing, diagnostics, and rapid detection of potential infections crossing between the two countries.
Regional Alert Remains High
The 2026 Ebola outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO in May after hundreds of infections and deaths were reported, mainly in the DRC’s Ituri Province.
Health authorities have also confirmed imported cases in Uganda, prompting heightened vigilance, stronger cross-border monitoring, and intensified emergency response efforts across the region.
With Uganda once again playing a key role in the regional fight against Ebola, health officials say collaboration, preparedness, and rapid response remain critical to preventing the outbreak from spreading further.
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