Museveni reaffirms Uganda’s Ebola preparedness during meeting with Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Chief
The President revealed that he had held discussions with Félix Tshisekedi aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two countries in addressing the outbreak.
Museveni reaffirms Uganda’s Ebola preparedness during meeting with Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Chief
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to containing the ongoing Ebola outbreak, assuring the World Health Organization (WHO) that the government remains vigilant and prepared to prevent further spread of the disease through strengthened surveillance, regional cooperation, and swift public health interventions.
Speaking during a meeting with WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at State House Entebbe on Monday, President Museveni said Uganda had put in place robust measures to manage the outbreak while working closely with neighboring countries, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to curb cross-border transmission.
The President revealed that he had held discussions with Félix Tshisekedi aimed at strengthening collaboration between the two countries in addressing the outbreak.
“We have been engaging our counterparts in the DRC to ensure that we work together in addressing this challenge,” President Museveni said.
The President emphasized that regional cooperation remains critical in controlling Ebola, especially given the movement of people across the Uganda-DRC border.
During the meeting, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine, informed the WHO delegation that Uganda was currently managing 19 confirmed Ebola cases. She noted that 14 of the cases involved members of the same family who had entered Uganda from the DRC.
Despite the cases, Dr. Atwine reported encouraging progress in containment efforts, revealing that no new Ebola infection had been recorded in the previous three days.
She also disclosed plans by the Ministry of Health to establish four medical camps in communities near the Uganda-DRC border to support local authorities in managing Ebola cases before they cross into Uganda.
The initiative received strong backing from President Museveni, who advised that the treatment centres be located as close to the border as possible.
“It should be near the border, not far inside the DRC, because we are targeting those who are trying to escape and seek treatment elsewhere,” the President said.
President Museveni also defended the government’s decision to suspend this year’s Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations at Namugongo, describing the move as a necessary public health intervention aimed at preventing mass transmission of the virus.
The annual pilgrimage normally attracts millions of worshippers from Uganda and several countries across East and Central Africa, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the region.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros praised Uganda’s leadership for taking what he described as difficult but responsible decisions to protect public health.
“Thank you for stopping the Martyrs Day celebrations. It was going to be a super-spreader event,” Dr. Tedros said.
The WHO chief further commended Uganda’s experience and capacity in responding to infectious disease outbreaks and pledged continued support through financial resources, logistics, technical expertise, and deployment of additional personnel.
He also welcomed Uganda’s proposal to establish treatment facilities near affected communities in the DRC, saying the approach would help contain the outbreak closer to its source while reducing the movement of infected patients across borders.
The meeting highlighted the close partnership between Uganda and the WHO and underscored a shared commitment to strengthening disease surveillance, preparedness, and response efforts in the fight against Ebola across the region.
