WHO intensifies support to Uganda’s fight against Sudan virus disease

Today marks 35 days of response since Uganda declared the Sudan virus disease (SVD) outbreak on 30 January 2025. To strengthen coordination and resource mobilization efforts, the Ministry of Health (MoH), with support from the World Health Group (WHO), organized a strategic companions’ meeting.

The strategic meeting equipped a chance to substitute companions on the outbreak, review the revised misfortune review, and align priorities with the financial resources wished to possess the SVD. The meeting brought together key stakeholders to reassess response methods in light of evolving epidemiological trends.

The Ministry of Health’s Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC), the most practical seemingly decision-making physique in the Incident Administration Diagram, leads the coordination of response efforts and resource mobilization. Since the final SAC meeting on 18 February 2025, the outbreak has evolved, necessitating urgent action.

In her opening remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, detailed the response efforts for the reason that first case of Ebola turned into confirmed on 29 January 2025. Surveillance has been bolstered by means of animated case detection and make contact with tracing, whereas case management and infection prevention measures have been reinforced in health products and companies. The outbreak has now lasted 35 days, with 14 recorded cases – 12 confirmed and two probable cases identified retrospectively.

Eight patients have recovered, two live hospitalized, and two have succumbed to the virus. The spread of the outbreak beyond Kampala and Wakiso to Mbale and, most recently, Ntoroko has elevated the urgency to reassess strategic priorities. Dr Aceng emphasised that whereas Uganda has efficiently contained earlier Ebola outbreaks, securing the mandatory funding stays serious to sustaining the response efforts.

“The country, working with you, our companions, has the skill to possess this outbreak. The supreme gap that exists is the financial resources required to elevate out the work,” she acknowledged.

The WHO Representative, Dr Kasonde Mwinga, speaking on behalf of companions, acknowledged the growth made but wired the urgency of declaring momentum in the response. The expanded technical meeting equipped a chance to align interventions with readily available in the market financial resources and description priorities for the next 210 days. With unique confirmed cases emerging, the collective commitment of all stakeholders stays mandatory to combating further spread and preserving at-misfortune communities.

The Incident Commander, Dr Henry Kyobe Bosa, equipped a technical substitute, highlighting that Uganda faces a dual outbreak difficulty – SVD and mpox. While SVD is characterized by sporadic, multi-district transmission, mpox stays a multi-cluster outbreak with sustained transmission.

Currently, 486 contacts are beneath notice-up for SVD, with animated transmission chains quiet being monitored. Encouragingly, all secondary cases have been detected among listed contacts, demonstrating the effectiveness of surveillance measures. Nevertheless, persevered vigilance is wished to break transmission.

A most essential a part of the discussion turned into the up to date 4W partner matrix, a digital tool developed by WHO to tune financial commitments and resource allocations. Essentially the most up-to-date review identified 27 companions actively supporting the SVD response.

Key complications raised all by means of the discussions integrated the need for perfect resource mapping, improved donor coordination, and the excellence between health middle and crew mortality surveillance. To facilitate centered resource mobilization, stakeholders emphasised the need for more frequent difficulty stories.

Intriguing forward, companions agreed on key action factors: updating the 4W matrix to replicate unique commitments, ensuring the successfully timed starting up of funds, and strengthening coordination by means of the National Project Force.

The Kampala Capital Metropolis Authority (KCCA) will acquire centered support for its response, whereas ongoing funding negotiations with USAID and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be finalized to actual further resources.

With Uganda’s history of successfully managing earlier Ebola outbreaks, the Ministry stays optimistic that, with satisfactory financial and technical support, this outbreak might additionally be efficiently contained.