Uganda is set to deploy 80 health workers to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), alongside the establishment of two temporary clinics to support efforts in containing the ongoing Ebola virus disease outbreak.
In addition to the deployment of health personnel, Uganda plans to set up two mobile laboratories as well as isolation and treatment centres in affected areas of eastern DRC. The facilities are expected to strengthen testing and patient care while boosting efforts to contain further spread of the virus.
According to the Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary, Dr Diana Atwine, the deployment could begin this week once final preparations are completed. She said the team will include doctors, nurses, laboratory personnel, infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, and critical care experts, drawn in part from Uganda’s emergency response unit, which is routinely activated during disease outbreaks.
Dr Atwine noted that the intervention is also aimed at reducing the number of patients crossing into Uganda in search of treatment, a trend that could strain the country’s health system.
She added that the approach is expected to benefit both countries and the wider region by helping to bring the outbreak under control faster, while also reducing its economic impact.
“Because of our proximity to the Ebola epicentre, we are unlikely to stop the inflow of patients seeking care in Uganda. This approach is therefore necessary to strengthen response at the source,” Dr Atwine said.
Since the outbreak began, Uganda has recorded 19 confirmed Ebola cases and two deaths, with 14 of the infections linked to people who entered from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while five are Ugandan nationals.
The World Health Organisation said that border screening has been instrumental in detecting cases arriving from neighbouring DRC, underscoring the effectiveness of Uganda’s surveillance, testing, and case management systems.
WHO further noted that two of the confirmed fatalities were individuals from the DRC.
The country’s response has focused on border screening, surveillance, testing, isolation, and rapid case management, with health teams deployed at entry points to detect and isolate suspected cases early.
Uganda is also strengthening its response through emergency teams, mobile laboratories, isolation and treatment centres, and plans to deploy 80 health workers to the DRC to help contain the outbreak at its source.
While screening at border points remains ongoing, the total number of people screened has not been publicly disclosed.
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have risen to over 515, with the outbreak also reporting more than 120 deaths, according to recent health updates.
Health officials say containment efforts are being challenged by insecurity in affected regions, population movement across borders, delayed reporting from remote areas, and limited access to some health zones due to ongoing conflict. These factors have complicated contact tracing, isolation, and timely treatment of patients.
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