Museveni Pledges Ebola Containment, Seeks Stronger Regional Ties

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reassured the World Health Organization (WHO) of Uganda’s steadfast commitment and preparedness to manage the current Ebola outbreak. During a meeting with WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, President Museveni emphasized the critical role of regional cooperation and prompt public health interventions.

Uganda is maintaining vigilance with strong measures to keep the outbreak within its borders and is actively collaborating with neighboring countries, especially the DRC, the origin of some cases. President Museveni highlighted prior discussions with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi aimed at bolstering cross-border cooperation to curb the spread of the virus.

Dr. Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, reported that Uganda is currently managing nineteen confirmed Ebola cases, fourteen of which belong to a single family that crossed from the DRC. Encouragingly, there had been no new cases in the preceding three days, indicating progress in containment efforts. The Ministry plans to establish medical camps in four strategic locations within the DRC near the Ugandan border to manage cases closer to their source.

This initiative aims to leverage Uganda’s reputation for effective epidemic management and reduce the number of patients seeking treatment across the border. President Museveni endorsed the plan, advising that the treatment centers be situated as close to the border as feasible to assist vulnerable populations fleeing the epidemic.

In a significant public health decision, the government suspended this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations at Namugongo, an event that typically draws millions. President Museveni deemed this a necessary measure to prevent a potential surge in infections.

Dr. Tedros commended Uganda’s decisive actions, particularly the suspension of the Martyrs Day event, calling it a “courageous and responsible decision” that would have otherwise become a “super-spreader event.” He praised Uganda’s proven capacity in handling public health emergencies and pledged continued WHO support, including financial, logistical, and technical resources. The WHO also welcomed Uganda’s proactive cross-border support strategy.

The meeting underscored the vital partnership between Uganda and the WHO in public health and reinforced a shared commitment to strengthening regional surveillance and response mechanisms for Ebola.