Kampala. Uganda has officially declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak, which used to be confirmed on 30 January 2025 by Uganda’s Ministry of Health. The outbreak infected 14 other folks, two of whom were attainable (now no longer confirmed by laboratory assessments) and induced four deaths (including two attainable).
Disease outbreaks, corresponding to Ebola, Marburg, and yellow fever, are now no longer fresh in Uganda. The country has faced a number of outbreaks and, in doing so, has built a resilient health gadget capable of detecting and containing outbreaks impulsively. With active relieve from the World Health Organization (WHO) and various companions, this outbreak again demonstrated Uganda’s capability to accommodate such challenges.
Essentially the most up-to-date Ebola disease outbreak came about in the bustling, highly mobile city of Kampala. In many locations, such an announcement would maybe moreover occupy induced frequent fright. But, within 72 hours of confirmation, the Ministry of Health, actively supported by the WHO and health companions, activated its response mechanisms. Mercurial response teams were deployed on the flooring, identifying contacts to the confirmed affected person, collecting samples for testing, setting up treatment units, and educating the neighborhood about Ebola prevention.
Similarly, within 24 hours of notification, the WHO Deputy Director Frequent and Executive Director for Emergencies, Dr Mike Ryan, used to be in Uganda to information WHO’s strategic and operational relieve to the response.
“The outbreak occurring in an urban setting is of principal project to us, given previous experiences. In this outbreak, every minute is of the essence, and we must pickle up impulsively to avert a attainable catastrophe,” acknowledged Dr Mike Ryan upon arrival in the country.
WHO mobilized 129 nationwide and international workers to relieve the response. They brought a wealth of technical trip, ensuring that WHO’s input used to be fresh at every serious stage.
The influence of these efforts used to be like a flash evident. On 14 March 2025, the remaining confirmed affected person used to be discharged, and 534 contacts had been efficiently acknowledged and followed up everyday. That is no longer any imply achievement given the role in which the outbreak came about. It’s a testament to Uganda’s strengthened capability to detect and answer to disease outbreaks in line with the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), for which WHO is the principal custodian.
Uganda has now performed the 42-day mandatory countdown without a confirmed Ebola case. During this serious period, WHO worked carefully with the Ministry of Health to behavior active case search and mortality surveillance to be certain that that no possible chains of transmission went undetected.
It’s most considerable to acknowledge the groundwork that made this posthaste response attainable. WHO’s presence on the flooring by scheme of its regional hubs and prior technical leadership in helping Uganda originate a multisectoral preparedness and response conception were pivotal. These offered distinct direction for all responding actors, enabling efficient coordination, optimizing resource allocation, and preventing duplication.
But another key enabler used to be the swift deployment by WHO of 165 multidisciplinary Mercurial Response Team of workers participants (RRTs) to hotspot districts. These participants strengthened local capability for alert management, case investigation, and contact tracing, even in some distance flung areas. Backed by WHO’s technical training and instruments, the RRTs worked hand in hand with district teams to be certain that that no case went undetected. This solid collaboration helped cease the additional unfold of the disease.
Particular consideration used to be moreover given to frame health. With the international crucial to prevent snide-border transmission, health workers were impulsively reoriented, thermal scanners were deployed, and screening protocols were enforced at 13 key entry points, particularly at Entebbe International Airport.
The laboratory response used to be equally sturdy. Over 1500 samples were collected, transported, and tested, with nationwide labs rising to the advise. Because of WHO’s prior technical relieve, Uganda had the capability to administer samples under strict biosafety and quality standards. Laboratory teams at the Uganda Virus Be taught Institute and Central Public Health Laboratories handled the workload professionally and effectively, earning reward for their posthaste turnaround.
At the center of the response used to be a valiant and well-consuming case management crew. Equipped with WHO Ebola offers designed to offer protection to health workers and relieve clinical care, they treated sufferers with professionalism and care. Of the 12 confirmed cases, two sufferers succumbed, while the remaining were efficiently treated and reintegrated into their communities. Two attainable cases were acknowledged after their loss of life, therefore now no longer managed in the treatment heart.
WHO-supported 78 Emergency Scientific Groups (EMTs) additional reinforced case management efforts. These highly trained and well-equipped teams ensured the stable transportation and treatment of sufferers all the scheme in which by scheme of affected regions, delivering top quality care at every step.
For the 2d time in an Ebola outbreak induced by the Sudan virus in Uganda, WHO deployed anthropologists, inconvenience dialog consultants, and neighborhood engagement teams. These specialists worked instantly with communities to handle stigma, mistrust, and misinformation, while providing true-time public health information. Their efforts were instrumental in gaining have faith and reinforcing safety practices.
Regardless of the absence of an licensed vaccine against the Sudan virus, candidate vaccines are in a host of phases of clinical trials, recommended by the independent WHO candidate vaccine prioritisation working neighborhood. Within four days of the authorities’s declaration of the outbreak, a randomized clinical trial for vaccine safety and efficacy using the ring vaccination scheme used to be launched. In addition, the administration of Remdesivir treatment under the Monitored Emergency Exhaust of Unregistered and Experimental Interventions (MEURI) protocol used to be initiated.
Ecological examine aimed at identifying the source of infection were initiated and are continuing. These are most considerable because of this of they befriend to anticipate dangers of outbreaks in addition to be certain that health programs are well consuming and ready to detect outbreaks early and reply effectively.
Behind the scenes, coordination and accomplice engagement played the biggest roles. WHO used to be to blame for aligning sources, reducing duplication, and maximizing influence. Through its coordination characteristic, WHO mapped out key stakeholders and facilitated efficient resource consume in any admire ranges of the response.
No a success outbreak response is complete without ample financial backing. To this point, WHO has mobilized and utilized US $6.2 million for this response. This relieve, along with in-kind contributions of principal medicines, offers, and instruments, has been a will have to occupy in maintaining the momentum of operations.
WHO acknowledges and deeply appreciates all companions who contributed by scheme of the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), including: Germany, Norway, Ireland, Canada, France, New Zealand, Kuwait, Portugal, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, Estonia, and the WHO Basis. Because of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, the European Rate – Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HERA), International Construction Be taught Centre (IDRC), European Rate – European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Motivate Operations (DG ECHO) and the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) for supporting WHO’s interventions.
Because the topic in Uganda stabilizes, this outbreak highlights three distinct lessons: early preparedness saves lives, posthaste response is serious, and WHO’s relieve remains a will have to occupy, now no longer most productive for Uganda, but for global health security.
