Preventing Ebola Spillover at Uganda-Congo Border

Uganda's progress in managing the Ebola outbreak is a powerful reminder that early action, community cooperation, surveillance, and strong health systems can protect lives.

The country experienced Ebola cases linked to the regional outbreak, but through coordinated response efforts, Uganda was able to stop further community transmission and eventually declare the outbreak over. This achievement deserves recognition and appreciation for the health workers, government teams, communities, partners, and organizations that contributed to the response.

Yet, as Uganda moves forward, our neighbours in the Democratic Republic of Congo continue to face an extremely severe Ebola crisis.

The outbreak in Congo has expanded rapidly, with thousands of confirmed cases and thousands of deaths. Health workers are facing overwhelming pressure, while insecurity, misinformation, limited infrastructure, delayed detection, population movement, and difficulties with contact tracing are making containment much harder.

This is why the response cannot stop at national borders.

Diseases do not recognize borders. Communities trade, travel, work, study, and interact across countries. Protecting one country requires supporting preparedness and response efforts across the region.

We therefore appeal to donors and international partners to increase support for Congo while helping Uganda and other neighbouring countries maintain strong preparedness systems.

We need support for community education so people understand Ebola and know when and where to seek help. We need resources for surveillance and early detection. We need support for health workers who are putting their own lives at risk. We need protective equipment, laboratory services, transportation, communication systems, and safe infection-prevention measures.

Most importantly, we must remember the families behind the numbers.

People who have lost relatives need compassion. Survivors need support and protection from stigma. Families whose livelihoods have been disrupted need assistance. Communities living with fear need accurate information and trusted local voices.

We cannot celebrate Uganda's progress while ignoring the suffering of communities across the border.

Let us transform Uganda's success into regional solidarity.

Your support can help strengthen the fight against Ebola, protect vulnerable communities, and give affected families hope during an extremely difficult period.

We appeal to every donor: please give, share, advocate, and help us mobilize more resources. Together, we can help bring this crisis under control and protect lives across our region.