Support Community-Led Ebola Containment in Uganda

Dear Donor,

Uganda's declaration as Ebola-free represents a remarkable public health achievement and demonstrates what coordinated community action can accomplish. Through rapid contact tracing, effective surveillance, strong community engagement, and dedicated frontline healthcare workers, the country successfully contained the outbreak after recording 20 confirmed cases. This achievement offers valuable lessons for neighboring countries continuing to respond to Ebola.

However, the regional picture remains concerning. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ebola continues spreading, with confirmed infections now exceeding 3,200 people. Ongoing conflict, difficult access to affected communities, health system pressures, and population displacement continue complicating response efforts. These realities remind us that infectious diseases do not recognize national borders.

Development Alert is now strengthening long-term preparedness throughout Uganda's border communities by maintaining community surveillance networks, supporting Village Health Teams, reinforcing infection prevention education, and ensuring that local leaders remain ready to respond quickly should new cases emerge. Investments made during the outbreak are being transformed into permanent community preparedness systems capable of responding to future health emergencies.

This transition from emergency response to sustained preparedness is one of the most important outcomes of the outbreak. Communities are better informed, volunteers are better trained, and local partnerships are stronger than ever before.

Your continued generosity has helped create this lasting legacy. Together, we celebrate Uganda's success while remaining committed to supporting preparedness, protecting border communities, and standing with our neighbors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo until Ebola is finally brought under control across the entire region.