By Zachery Onyango | Project Leader
Dear supporter,
Uganda’s successful response to the 2026 Ebola outbreak remains an important public health achievement. After recording 20 confirmed cases, Uganda completed the required monitoring period without further transmission and was officially declared Ebola-free. The experience demonstrated the importance of early detection, contact tracing, community engagement, infection prevention, rapid transportation and coordinated action.
However, the regional threat remains serious. The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to experience the worst Ebola outbreak in its history, with more than 6,000 infections and 3,175 deaths reported by early September. WHO has warned that shortages of trained personnel, operational partners and funding are creating major challenges for the response. Nearly 1,400 treatment beds have been established across 59 treatment centers, but thousands more health workers and additional treatment capacity are still needed.
Development Alert continues supporting preparedness among communities connected to the Uganda–DRC border. Our interventions focus on community health education, early reporting, hygiene promotion, local surveillance, engagement with community leaders and communication with health structures.
The field motorcycles purchased through donor support remains a critical asset. It allows teams to reach remote villages, conduct follow-up visits, deliver educational materials and respond quickly when communities report concerns.
We are also engaging teachers, women, youth, transport workers, religious leaders and local community representatives. These trusted groups help ensure that accurate information reaches households and that misinformation does not create unnecessary fear.
Uganda’s achievement must be protected. The continuing DRC crisis demonstrates why preparedness cannot end when one country declares an outbreak over.
Development Alert remains committed to strengthening community resilience, protecting vulnerable border populations and ensuring that local communities have the knowledge, connections and mobility needed to respond rapidly to future health threats.
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