Uganda contains Ebola: A story of leadership, partnership and community action

The United Nations in Uganda is pleased to confirm that the Ebola Outbreak in Uganda, which was declared on 15 May 2026, has been successfully contained in accordance with International Health Regulations. Completing 42 consecutive days without a reported new confirmed case is a major achievement and testament to the country’s leadership and health professionals.

Uganda was issued a certificate by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 27 August 2026 confirming the end of the Ebola outbreak. The UN Family in Uganda congratulates the Government and people of Uganda, partners, health workers and communities on this major public health achievement.

This accomplishment reflects the effectiveness of Uganda's Ebola Outbreak containment coordination structures and experienced response systems. Uganda’s national and district coordination task force structures brought decision-makers, technical teams and response partners together under a clear operational framework. This enabled robust surveillance, investigation of alerts, rapid deployment of resources and quick action and coordinated response activities.

“Uganda has demonstrated that with decisive action, Ebola outbreaks can be brought under control quickly,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “With a focus on preparedness, increased surveillance to find potential cases in health facilities and communities, and careful management of points of entry, countries can keep people and goods moving while ensuring people stay safe, or receive care if they are sick.”

Uganda, with support of national and international partners, interrupted local transmission rapidly and prevented wider spread through strong government leadership and early comprehensive actions including case detection and confirmation, contact tracing, isolation and clinical care, infection prevention and control, community engagement and strengthened surveillance at health facilities and points of entry.

Uganda authorities activated rapid response teams, deployed mobile laboratories, and strengthened screening and monitoring, particularly for international travel and cross‑border movements. It was a demonstration of what strong national leadership, preparedness, community vigilance and international solidarity can achieve when they come together at the right moment.

The 2026 outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo virus after infected individuals crossed into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In total, Uganda recorded 20 confirmed cases, including 15 imported cases and two deaths. 

The effective management of the outbreak did not happen by chance.

Preparedness put to the test

From the first confirmation of the outbreak on 15 May 2026, Uganda's Ministry of Health moved quickly to activate the national response led by a High-level Task Force.

The Government led the overall response, coordinating national and district health teams, contact tracing, laboratory testing, border surveillance, infection prevention and control, case management, risk communication and community engagement.

By 16 July, all 836 identified contacts had been followed up, while surveillance had been strengthened in 36 high-risk districts and at 38 points of entry. Health workers received training and essential equipment and supplies to safely identify, isolate and manage suspected cases.

The country's investments in preparedness also paid off.

Uganda's Emergency Medical Team, established and trained before the outbreak, was deployed rapidly. The Ebola Treatment Unit at Mulago Hospital was commissioned within hours of the outbreak declaration, allowing suspected and confirmed cases to be isolated and treated safely. WHO noted that Uganda's surveillance systems, laboratory networks and emergency medical teams were important assets in the response.

“This shows that Ebola is defeatable if we adhere to measures and establish strong systems,” said Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, Uganda’s Minister of Health. “I commended health workers and support teams for their courage, resilience and professionalism during the response.”

The Government's leadership extended beyond the health sector. Security agencies, local governments, community health workers, local leaders, communities and the media all played roles in identifying risks, supporting surveillance and ensuring that accurate information reached the public.

One national response, strengthened by partnership

While the Government led the response, Uganda did not face the threat alone. The United Nations mobilized its teams. 

The United Nations Country Team, under the leadership of UN Resident Coordinator Leonard Zulu and with WHO providing technical health leadership, activated a coordinated UN system-wide response to complement the national effort. The UN immediately repurposed US$3.5 million from existing resources to support immediate Government-led response efforts and mobilised additional technical, operational and financial support.

In May, the United Nations and humanitarian partners launched a US$15.8 million emergency appeal for a three-month response plan covering May to August. The plan supported interventions in high-risk areas, including refugee-hosting districts, with a focus on surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication, community engagement, logistics, nutrition, WASH and continuity of essential services.

The United Nations system supported several parts of the national response. To this end, the U.S Government provided significant technical and financial support to contain the outbreak. 

By June, an additional US$4 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) was earmarked to support the response, including surveillance, laboratory capacity, case management, infection prevention and control, logistics, emergency protection, risk communication and community engagement.

WHO, with support from CERF and partners such as the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Australia, as well as the Gates Foundation, mobilised technical experts, strengthened laboratory capacity, supported surveillance, Risk Communication and Community Engagement, coordinated logistics, and provided medical supplies and equipment to protect frontline health workers.

UNICEF led community engagement and risk communication, reaching households, schools and religious and cultural leaders with life-saving information, and worked with communities to counter misinformation and build trust in the response. UNICEF also supported infection prevention and control in health facilities and schools, provided water, sanitation and hygiene supplies, and helped sustain essential services for children, including immunisation, nutrition, education and child protection, so that routine care continued alongside the outbreak response.

UNDP partnered with the Uganda Professional Drivers Network (UPDN), the Ministry of Health, and cultural institutions to strengthen infection prevention measures at key transport hubs and along critical transit corridors, while enhancing community awareness, risk communication, and preparedness among transport workers, travellers, and communities in high-risk areas.

IOM supported screening, surveillance and mobility management at points of entry. WFP helped deliver food and critical supplies, including support for patients, people in isolation and frontline health workers, while UNHCR strengthened preparedness in refugee-hosting areas.

At Entebbe International Airport, the United Nations, through IOM and with support from the United States, handed over health equipment to strengthen screening, surveillance and infection prevention. The equipment included thermal scanners, a multipurpose tent and 60 automated hand-sanitiser dispensers. This support is being extended to the land border with the DRC.

Mr. Zulu, the UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda, described such support as an investment in the country's ability to confront future health emergencies.

“Today’s handover is therefore much more than a transfer of equipment. It is a practical investment in preparedness, early detection, and rapid response. It is also a visible reminder that solidarity matters in moments like this.”

He stressed that the partnership was designed to strengthen, rather than substitute for, Uganda's national systems.

“The United Nations system has brought together technical health expertise, logistics, and repurposed resources to complement Government response and support the continuation of essential services, community engagement and cross-border preparedness.”

The human side of the achievement 

Behind the statistics are health workers who worked long hours, families who faced uncertainty, communities that reported suspected cases and people who stepped forward to be monitored and tested.

There were also the frontline teams working in treatment units, laboratories, airports and border communities - often under difficult conditions and with the knowledge that Ebola can be deadly.

WHO Representative in Uganda, Dr. Kasonde Mwinga, described the achievement as a collective success.

“This milestone reflects the dedication of Uganda’s leadership, health workers, case investigation teams, communities and partners who have worked hard to interrupt transmission.”

Her message, however, carried an important warning: an Ebola-free declaration is not the same as the end of vigilance.

“While this is an encouraging moment, it is not the end of the response,” Dr. Mwinga cautioned, stressing the need for continued surveillance, rapid investigation of alerts and sustained community engagement.

Uganda has therefore maintained heightened surveillance at border areas and points of entry and strengthened cooperation with the DRC on cross-border preparedness and response. The Ministry of Health has also emphasized that Uganda remains open for travel, business and tourism while maintaining a high level of health-system readiness.

The country continues to support the DRC response. Through the logistics cluster hub in Entebbe managed by WFP, flight rotations from Entebbe to Bunia deliver health cargo on behalf of seven partners, and trucks carrying cargo are dispatched along the same corridor via land and water. UNHAS passenger flights between Entebbe and Bunia have also resumed, twice weekly.

An achievement worth celebrating

Uganda's Ebola-free declaration deserves to be celebrated.

It is a triumph for the health workers who stood on the front lines; for communities that remained vigilant; for the Government institutions that acted quickly; and for the partners who supported the national response.

It is also evidence that investments made before a crisis - strong surveillance systems, trained emergency teams, laboratories, treatment facilities and community networks-can make the difference when an outbreak occurs.

Perhaps most importantly, Uganda's experience demonstrates the power of partnership.

The Government provided leadership and coordination. Health workers delivered care. Communities helped detect and prevent transmission. The United Nations and other partners brought technical expertise, logistics, resources and support to strengthen the national effort.

Together, they helped stop a potentially devastating outbreak before it could spread widely.

WHO continues to advise against travel and trade restrictions related to Ebola outbreaks. WHO does not recommend suspending flights, closing borders, or denying entry to travelers from affected countries, including Uganda. Countries are encouraged to maintain international travel and trade while implementing appropriate public health measures that support early detection, preparedness and cross-border collaboration, in accordance with the International Health Regulations.