Uganda appeals against travel restrictions as WHO praises Ebola response

Uganda has called on countries that have imposed travel restrictions in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak to reconsider their decisions, arguing that such measures undermine regional cooperation and could hinder efforts to contain the disease.

The appeal was made during a high-level meeting convened by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), bringing together ambassadors, heads of mission, development partners and international health officials to review progress in Uganda’s Ebola response.

The meeting was attended by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, senior government officials and representatives of development agencies supporting Uganda’s efforts to contain the outbreak.

Leading the Ministry of Health delegation, Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to transparency, timely information sharing and evidence-based public health interventions.

She attributed the progress made in controlling the outbreak to strong political commitment from President Yoweri Museveni, whose support has been instrumental in mobilizing resources and coordinating response efforts.

“Uganda remains committed to openness and transparency in managing this outbreak. The progress we have made is a result of coordinated action, scientific evidence and strong political leadership,” Dr. Atwine said.

Regional Cooperation Critical

Dr. Atwine emphasized the importance of regional collaboration, particularly with the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has historically faced multiple Ebola outbreaks.

“DRC is our brother country and through regional partnerships and efforts, we shall be able to defeat this outbreak,” she said.

Health experts have consistently emphasized that infectious disease outbreaks do not respect national borders, making cooperation among neighbouring countries essential for surveillance, contact tracing and rapid response measures.

Uganda and DRC share extensive cross-border movement of people and goods, making coordinated interventions particularly important in preventing the spread of the virus.

WHO Opposes Travel Restrictions

Echoing Uganda’s position, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros warned against the use of travel restrictions, arguing that such measures have limited effectiveness in controlling Ebola outbreaks and may produce unintended consequences.

He noted that restrictions can disrupt the movement of essential medical supplies, humanitarian personnel and critical commodities needed to support emergency response operations.

“Travel restrictions are not helpful in controlling Ebola outbreaks and can negatively affect the movement of essential supplies, personnel and commodities needed to support response efforts,” Dr. Tedros said.

He further cautioned that restrictive measures can undermine trust, transparency and international cooperation by discouraging countries from promptly reporting outbreaks and sharing critical information.

The WHO chief commended countries that have continued to follow WHO recommendations by avoiding unnecessary travel and trade restrictions while maintaining appropriate public health safeguards.

Uganda’s Response Earns International Recognition

Dr. Tedros praised Uganda’s handling of the outbreak, highlighting the country’s experience in responding to public health emergencies and its ability to mobilize rapid containment measures.

He commended the Ministry of Health under the leadership of Dr. Diana Atwine for implementing a coordinated response that has helped contain the spread of the disease.

The WHO Director-General reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to continue supporting Uganda through technical expertise, surveillance systems, logistics support and resource mobilization.

He emphasized that national governments must remain at the center of outbreak responses, while international partners align their support within government-led frameworks.

“Governments remain in the driving seat of the response and partners are required to support efforts through one plan, one budget and one monitoring and evaluation framework,” he said.

Maintaining Confidence and Transparency

The meeting also sought to reassure the diplomatic community and development partners about the effectiveness of Uganda’s containment measures.

By providing regular updates and engaging international stakeholders, the government hopes to maintain confidence in Uganda’s public health systems while ensuring continued support for response activities.

Health officials say transparency and timely information sharing remain essential in combating misinformation and maintaining public trust during disease outbreaks.

The latest engagement reflects Uganda’s broader strategy of combining strong domestic leadership with international collaboration to manage public health threats.

As response efforts continue, both the Government of Uganda and the World Health Organization have expressed confidence that sustained vigilance, regional cooperation and adherence to scientific guidance will be key to successfully defeating the outbreak and minimizing its social and economic impact.