Protect Uganda-DRC Border Communities from Ebola

Dear Donor,

Frontline health workers and community volunteers remain among the most important people in any Ebola response. They are often the first to receive reports from communities, the first to provide health information, and the people who help connect families with formal health services.

Uganda's successful Ebola response demonstrated the importance of protecting and supporting frontline personnel. Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths before successfully completing its enhanced monitoring period and ending the outbreak.

The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains much more difficult. WHO reported 5,794 confirmed cases and 2,786 deaths as of 26 August. The outbreak now affects 60 health zones across six provinces, creating an enormous operational burden for health workers and response teams.

Development Alert continues supporting preparedness at the community level by ensuring that local volunteers and leaders have access to accurate information and remain connected to health facilities. Our activities encourage prompt communication of alerts and reinforce infection-prevention messages.

We are also promoting practical preparedness in schools, markets, transport centers, places of worship, and other public spaces. Community members are encouraged to understand that reporting suspected illness early can help protect families, health workers, and entire communities.

The field motorcycle continues strengthening the mobility of our response team. Rapid transportation is particularly important when community alerts require immediate follow-up or when educational and prevention supplies need to be delivered to remote locations.

We also recognize the importance of protecting responders from exhaustion and maintaining strong communication systems. An effective response depends not only on medical treatment but also on functioning community networks and reliable field operations.

Uganda's success proves that determined action can stop Ebola. The DRC crisis demonstrates how quickly an outbreak can overwhelm communities when transmission expands faster than response capacity.

Your support helps Development Alert strengthen the grassroots systems that protect both communities and the people working to serve them.