Uganda Hosts Regional Meeting to Boost Ebola Preparedness Amid Ongoing Outbreak

Kampala, Uganda:- Health leaders from across Africa have convened in Uganda's capital for a high-level meeting to strengthen regional preparedness and cross-border collaboration in response to the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak affecting Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The three-day meeting, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and UK Health Security Agency, has drawn participants from 11 high-risk countries. The gathering focuses on enhancing national and regional capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to the spread of the virus.

Delegates are assessing their countries' readiness based on national preparedness evaluations, contingency plans, and identified response gaps. Discussions are also centered on improving surveillance systems and strengthening operations at critical points of entry, including border crossings, airports, and transport corridors. Key measures under review include screening, triage, isolation protocols, and patient referral mechanisms.

In addition to assessments, countries are participating in simulation exercises designed to test multisectoral preparedness plans. These exercises aim to identify weaknesses and inform strategies for improvement before the disease further spreads.

Opening the meeting, Uganda's Director of Health Services, Dr. Charles Olaro, emphasized that no single country can effectively manage such outbreaks alone. He urged participants to critically examine successful interventions while addressing urgent gaps in response systems. Dr. Olaro called for stronger collaboration at points of entry, enhanced regional coordination, and increased investment in research and treatment development.

WHO Regional Emergency Director for Africa, Dr. Marie Roseline Belizaire, highlighted the urgency of scaling up preparedness efforts. She noted that the continental preparedness and response plan jointly developed by WHO and Africa CDC requires more than $517 million, yet less than 15 percent of available resources are currently directed toward preparedness activities. "If transmission expands or additional countries report cases, the financial, social, and economic costs could rise dramatically," Dr. Belizaire warned, stressing that investing in preparedness is essential not only for public health but also for economic and national security.

Echoing calls for unity, Africa CDC representative Dr. Tolbert Nyenswah pointed to lessons from the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, where strong cross-border cooperation played a key role in controlling the epidemic. "Outbreak control cannot stop at national borders," he said.

Participants at the Kampala meeting include representatives from Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Uganda.

Health experts say the outcomes of the meeting could play a critical role in preventing further regional spread of Ebola by ensuring faster detection, coordinated response efforts, and stronger health security systems across participating countries.