Uganda News

Mukono, 29 October 2018:- The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Ministry of Health to train health workers in Uganda’s armed forces on surveillance and clinical management of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Kampala, 26 October 2018:- The Prime Minister of Uganda the Right Honorable Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has praised the World Health Organization (WHO) for its timely and effective efforts that have so far protected the country from importing the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) that is currently affecting some parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) near the border with Uganda.

Kampala, 23 October 2018:- There is an urgent need for countries to strengthen regional and national capacity in the areas of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) given the ever increasing number of infectious disease outbreaks in many parts of the world.

This need was emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO) at a three-day workshop currently going in Munyonyo, Kampala hosted by the organization’s Tackling Deadly Disease in Africa Program (TDDAP) supported by UK’s Department for International Development (DFID).

Entebbe, 3rd October 2018:- The on-going Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has led to intensified cross-border collaboration among East African countries on disease surveillance and emergency preparedness.

Consequently, the East African Integrated Disease Surveillance Network (EAIDSNet) has convened a three-day cross-border meeting in Entebbe, Uganda, to enhance disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response in East Africa including DRC.

Kampala, 27th September 2018- On 1 August 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) declared an Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in North Kivu Province, close to the DRC-Uganda border. As of 25th September 2018, a total of 151 cases of EVD had been reported to WHO by DRC; of these, 120 are confirmed and 31 are probable; 101 deaths have been reported while an additional 17 suspects were under investigations.

Kampala, 20th September 2018: As Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) preparedness activities intensify in Uganda, the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) is making arrangements to vaccinate frontline health workers and high-risk populations should need arise. 

Nebbi, 5 September 2018:- The Government of Uganda launched the national Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) preventative campaign targeting over 1,600,000 persons aged above one year in the 11 cholera hot-spot districts.

The campaign is aimed at preventing and controlling Cholera in the hot-spot districts including Arua, Buliisa, Busia, Hoima, Kasese, Moyo, Namayingo, Nebbi, Ntoroko, Pakwach and Zombo. It will be conducted in a phased manner as part of the National Cholera Control Plan (2017-2022).

Kampala, 23 August 2018:- In the wake of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda has heightened its surveillance and alertness at the Uganda-DRC border. This was revealed at a high-level breakfast meeting held at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala to brief the Diplomatic Corps, the Health Development Partners and the media in Uganda about the current outbreak in DRC and status of Uganda’s Ebola preparedness response.

Kampala, 16 August 2018: The Director General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti visited Uganda on their way from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to assess the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) response. They were received by the WHO Representative in Uganda, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam who briefed them on WHO support to the operational preparedness of Uganda to respond to an outbreak.

Kampala 27 July 2018:- In response to allegations made in the UN Reporter concerning the spread of Vaccine Derived Polio Outbreak in Congo to Uganda, The Ministry of Health and The WHO Country Office in Uganda would like to point out the following:
1.    There hasn’t been a wild polio case in Uganda since November 2010.
2.    However, the Democratic Republic of Congo has reported cases of Vaccine Derived Polio outbreak close to the border with Uganda.