Protect Uganda-DRC Border Communities from Ebola

Dear Donor,

Transport workers can play an important role in community health preparedness because they connect villages, markets, schools and border communities every day.

The current DRC Ebola outbreak has reached 7,475 confirmed cases and 3,605 deaths, while the disease continues to affect multiple provinces and health zones.

Development Alert continues engaging transport communities as part of our broader risk-communication strategy.

Boda boda riders and other transport workers can help distribute accurate health information to people they interact with during their daily activities.

Our engagement emphasizes responsible health messaging, early reporting and appropriate referral rather than asking transport workers to diagnose or handle suspected Ebola cases.

We encourage riders to direct people with serious health concerns toward appropriate health services and avoid spreading unverified information.

Transport stages are also useful locations for health education because many people pass through them.

Our awareness approach can include posters, community discussions, hygiene promotion and direct communication through local leaders and volunteers.

We also emphasize stigma reduction. People should not be judged simply because they have traveled from an affected area or have been in contact with someone who is being monitored.

WHO and ECDC continue emphasizing surveillance, cross-border preparedness and monitoring of population movement as important components of outbreak control.

By engaging transport communities responsibly, we strengthen one of the communication networks that connects rural households to the wider health system.

Dear Donor,

Health emergencies can place additional pressure on families already struggling with poverty and limited access to essential services.

The DRC has recorded 7,475 confirmed Ebola cases and 3,605 deaths as of 16 September, according to WHO's latest figures.

Development Alert continues paying attention to vulnerable households as part of our community preparedness approach.

Our outreach seeks to ensure that elderly people, children, people with disabilities, low-income families and remote rural households can access reliable health information.

These groups may face additional barriers to receiving information or reaching health services.

We encourage community leaders and volunteers to help identify households that may need additional communication support and connect them with appropriate services.

We also recognize that illness can affect household income and food security. A family dealing with suspected illness or monitoring requirements may experience disruptions to work and daily life.

Compassionate community support is therefore important.

We encourage communities not to stigmatize affected households. Instead, families should be supported to cooperate with health authorities and follow appropriate health guidance.

Development Alert also promotes accurate information so that vulnerable households do not become victims of misinformation or exploitation.

WHO's response includes support for essential health services alongside surveillance, clinical care, community engagement and other emergency measures.

Our commitment is to ensure that the most vulnerable are not forgotten when communities mobilize to respond to Ebola.