When Ebola crossed the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) into Uganda in May, health officials had little time to act. The virus is highly dangerous and contagious, spreading quickly across regions unless intensive action is taken.
Last week, the World Health Organization declared Uganda Ebola-free after 42 days with no cases since the last patient was discharged. How did Uganda mobilize so quickly and stop Ebola from gaining a foothold? Margaret Nagawa, Health and Nutrition Coordinator for Action Against Hunger Uganda, explains how rapid coordination, preparedness, and a swift public health response helped contain the outbreak.
Q: Is Ebola present in Uganda right now?
A: No. Within 72 hours of the first alert of a case in Kampala, existing national and local coordination structures were activated. Previously trained health workers were deployed, surveillance teams were mobilized, and a temporary laboratory was established in Bwera to test suspected cases locally. Uganda also temporarily closed sections of its border to slow cross-border movement associated with early transmission. Identified cases were properly managed with quarantining, treatment, and contact tracing, and on July 16th, the last patient was discharged. No cases have been identified since. In total, there were 20 confirmed cases, 18 recoveries, and 2 deaths recorded.
Q: How did Uganda respond to Ebola so quickly?
A: The ability to activate teams, surveillance systems, laboratory capacity, and community networks before and immediately after the arrival of Ebola were key to limiting the outbreak’s spread in Uganda. It reflected years of investment in outbreak preparedness: training, surveillance, laboratory preparation, coordination structure refinement, and community engagement. This combination equipped Uganda respond quickly when Ebola crossed the border.
Q: Is Ebola still a threat to Uganda?
A: Yes. Uganda shares a border with the DRC, where the outbreak continues to grow both in numbers and regions, meaning there is still significant threat of transmission across the border. It is extremely important to continue screening at border points and preparing communities for a potential outbreak so if Ebola does make its way into Uganda again, we are prepared to contain it as quickly as possible.
Q: How are Ebola cases detected?
A: Surveillance at border points of entry is essential for detecting possible cases crossing the border from the DRC. Staff are trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of Ebola. Teams monitor movement across border points, and travelers are checked daily at key entry points, including through the use of thermometers. The resulting information feeds into national data systems to support evidence-based decision-making.
So far, Action Against Hunger Uganda has supported case detection by screening approximately 7,000 people at border points, training 110 community health workers on case identification, and mentoring 37 laboratory personnel on sample management.
Q: What role do communities play in Ebola response?
A: Communities play a major role in the success of Ebola response efforts. When people wear face masks, seek medical care when needed, and use best practices like handwashing, it significantly limits the spread of disease.
After the presence of Ebola was announced in May, communities in Uganda remembered the lessons from COVID-19 and previous Ebola outbreaks to take preventive action. Local radio programs, community dialogue sessions, and local leaders all had a role to play in spreading information about Ebola prevention.
In high-risk border areas like Kasese and Kikuube, Action Against Hunger had already been working with communities for years through nutrition programming, so we had a pre-established relationship of trust when we started sharing information about Ebola. That foundation enabled collaboration with community members to address concerns about the virus and stop the spread of misinformation.
Q: How does information about Ebola reach remote communities in Uganda?
A: While the greatest risk of spread is close to the border with the DRC, it is still essential to prepare communities all across Uganda with the information and tools needed to prevent Ebola. Action Against Hunger launched a radio program campaign that informed over 240,000 listeners. Existing care-group volunteers also shared information with households they already served. For rural communities beyond the radio stations’ broadcasts, Action Against Hunger staff rode motorcycles and played pre-recorded messages. In even harder to reach areas, our staff went door-to-door, making sure families outside of broader outreach methods could still access Ebola prevention information.
Q: What measures are taken to protect health workers?
A: Because Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids of people who are infected or who have died from Ebola, health workers and burial staff face extremely high risks. Action Against Hunger supports them in three ways: with training, supplies, and infrastructure support. Health workers receive training in Ebola case management and infection prevention. Our teams have distributed over 1,500 pieces of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) supplies, including personal protective equipment (PPE). Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) supplies were also expanded at nearly 60 treatment and screening sites.
Q: How is Action Against Hunger continuing to support Ebola preparedness and response in Uganda?
A: Action Against Hunger has integrated Ebola preparedness into our routine health, nutrition, and WASH programming so that essential services can continue safely while communities and frontline workers remain prepared to respond to suspected cases. Our community outreach teams incorporate Ebola risk communication and prevention messages into ongoing nutrition and health education, while Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) teams reinforce hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, and safe water practices in communities and health facilities.
Our nutrition services continue without disruption, with strengthened infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during screening and treatment to protect both clients and staff. Frontline staff receive refresher training on Ebola recognition, safe service delivery, and referral procedures, while teams regularly assess stocks of essential supplies and preparedness needs.
Our teams are working closely with Ministry of Health and the district health office to strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC) practices across supported health facilities, ensuring our interventions complement and support the government’s leadership of the response. Strengthening IPC practices is a top priority across supported health facilities to reinforce surveillance, early detection, reporting, and referral systems.
Q: What is the biggest lesson from Uganda’s Ebola response?
A: Uganda’s Ebola response offers an important lesson in disease outbreak preparedness: effective emergency action can begin long before the first confirmed case. Preparedness, infrastructure, coordination structures, and community trust are all essential for controlling infectious disease outbreaks — and those things take time to build. That is why sustained investment in health systems and preparedness can determine whether a country responds to an outbreak in days, like Uganda, or struggles to build the necessary capacity during the crisis itself, like the DRC.
Margaret Nagawa is a public health, health systems, and nutrition specialist with extensive experience of over 15 years leading integrated health and nutrition programs in humanitarian, development, and community settings. Her expertise spans around emergency response including Ebola and COVID-19, maternal and child health, adolescent health, HIV and TB, prevention and treatment of malnutrition, maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN), and multiple micronutrient interventions.
