Uganda has discharged its last Ebola patient, marking a major milestone in the country’s response to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak declared two months ago.
Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi announced the development on Thursday, saying 18 patients had recovered out of the 20 confirmed cases recorded since May 15, while two patients died.
“Today is exactly two months since we declared the outbreak, and we are now celebrating the discharge of the last patient. This is therefore a moment of joy and celebration,” Baryomunsi said.
Baryomunsi said the outbreak involved the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola virus and was largely imported from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 15 of the confirmed cases being Congolese nationals who were not residents of Uganda.
The other five cases involved four health workers who contracted the virus while treating the first patient before Ebola was confirmed and a driver who transported one of the patients.
The minister said Uganda successfully interrupted transmission, with no sustained community spread and no further infections in healthcare facilities after the initial cases.
Baryomunsi praised health workers and partners for their role in controlling the outbreak but warned that Uganda is not yet Ebola-free.
“Discharging the last patient does not mean Uganda is now Ebola-free. According to international guidelines, once the last patient is discharged, we begin the countdown,” he said.
At the Mulago Ebola Treatment Unit, the head of the Emergency Medical Team, Dr. David Kaggwa, attributed the recovery of patients to teamwork among health workers from different specialties.
“This is a specialised unit, and behind me is a team of multidisciplinary staff who take care of these patients. They include doctors, nurses, psychosocial specialists, nutrition specialists and other experts who have worked together hand in hand to ensure that we achieve this task,” Kaggwa said.
He said 18 patients were managed at the unit, with 17 surviving, adding that the team continues to provide supportive care because Ebola has no specific treatment.
“Basically, we don’t have specific treatment for Ebola, but we give these patients a lot of supportive care, and we also have some other experimental medicines or medicines we use on compassionate grounds to help these patients,” he said.
Kaggwa said the eight-bed treatment unit established by the government has been improved over time and has helped Uganda manage outbreaks more effectively.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Kasonde Mwinga, said Uganda’s response demonstrates the importance of investing in preparedness before outbreaks occur.
Dr. Mwinga said the availability of the treatment unit, trained Emergency Medical Teams and pre-positioned supplies helped strengthen the response, adding that the outcome was a result of deliberate preparedness efforts.
He noted that the outbreak recorded a case fatality rate of less than 10 percent, which he described as among the lowest recorded in Ebola outbreaks.
“Preparedness saves lives,” Dr. Mwinga said, adding that the achievement was not by luck or chance, but a result of investments made before the outbreak.
He also urged members of the public to seek medical care early whenever they develop Ebola-like symptoms, saying early treatment improves chances of recovery.
Uganda will now observe 42 days, equivalent to two incubation periods of Ebola, before it can be declared free of the outbreak if no new cases are recorded.