Kampala – Uganda has intensified surveillance and cross-border monitoring as Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) prepare to establish a continental response team to support Ebola containment efforts.
Speaking during a media breakfast meeting organized by the Ministry of Health and the Africa CDC on Monday, Director of Public Health Dr Daniel Kyabayinze said the country is operating a whole of government containment strategy aimed at stopping further transmission.
“Our key pillars are surveillance, isolation, treatment, movement control, risk communication and regional coordination,” said Dr Kyabayinze
Uganda has so far recorded 19 confirmed Ebola cases, including two confirmed deaths, while five patients have recovered after treatment. According to the Ministry of Health, 17 patients remain admitted at the Ebola treatment center at Mulago National Referral Hospital.
Health officials have identified 786 contacts linked to confirmed cases, with 405 still under active follow up and 368 having completed the mandatory 21-day monitoring period. Authorities say the country’s contact tracing system currently has a 91 percent follow-up rate, with no contacts reported lost to follow up.
Five health workers are among those infected after caring for the first Ebola patients.
Health officials say Uganda’s western border remains the highest-risk area because of refugee movements, trade, and porous crossing points with the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the outbreak originated.
“Our western border remains high-risk because not every path, footpath, or road is officially monitored. The border stretches about 1,200 kilometers, creating multiple high-risk entry points. Congolese nationals continue coming to Uganda to seek healthcare services because the services here are better than where they are coming from,” said Kyabayinze
Dr Kyabayinze warned that continued cross-border movement increases the risk of transmission.
To strengthen rapid response efforts, Uganda has established laboratory testing facilities in Arua and Kasese to speed up testing and intervention in border areas. Flights between Kinshasa and Entebbe have also been suspended following border closure measures adopted by the government.
Authorities say isolation and early treatment remain critical in controlling the outbreak, alongside restrictions on mass gatherings and tighter controls in high-risk border communities.
Africa CDC representative Tolbert Nyenswah praised Uganda’s surveillance and contact tracing systems, describing them as critical in limiting wider spread of the disease.
“Infectious disease threats do not respect borders. The continued movement of people, trade, and communities across the region means the outbreak requires both national leadership and regional solidarity,” said Nyenswah.
Nyenswah revealed that Africa CDC is supporting Uganda and neighboring countries through laboratory strengthening, surveillance, logistics, and risk communication.
“One of the reasons I am in Uganda today is to set up the Continental Incident Management Support Team, which is co-led by Africa CDC and WHO under the leadership of the Government of Uganda,” he said.
He added that the response structure is expected to become fully operational in the coming days to coordinate international support efforts.
Both officials urged journalists to support public awareness campaigns and counter misinformation, saying accurate reporting remains critical in maintaining public confidence and encouraging early reporting of Ebola symptoms.