Uganda has begun the mandatory 42-day countdown to being declared Ebola-free after discharging the country’s last Ebola patient from the Mulago National Isolation Centre. Health officials described the discharge as a major milestone in containing the outbreak but warned that the response is not yet over.
Under World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, a country must complete two consecutive 21-day incubation periods without registering a new Ebola case before an outbreak is officially declared over. Speaking during the discharge ceremony on Thursday, Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi said surveillance, community vigilance and rapid response measures will remain in force throughout the countdown.
The minister cautioned that Uganda remains at risk because Ebola continues to spread in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where thousands of cases have been recorded. He said Uganda and the DRC have strengthened cross-border collaboration through a memorandum of understanding, with Ugandan medical teams supporting response efforts in eastern Congo and treatment centres established near the border.
Communities in border districts have also been sensitised to report suspected cases, while radio stations continue broadcasting Ebola prevention messages in local languages spoken on both sides of the border.
Baryomunsi said the National Task Force will review some of the public health measures introduced during the outbreak, including restrictions on markets and public gatherings in high-risk districts, to determine which can safely be lifted. He added that government has begun engaging countries that imposed travel restrictions on Uganda during the outbreak with the aim of restoring normal travel and reducing the economic impact.
At the Mulago National Isolation Centre, Dr. David Kaggwa, who heads the Ebola Treatment Unit, said the facility managed more than 160 suspected Ebola patients in addition to confirmed cases. He noted that many of the suspected patients were eventually diagnosed with other life-threatening illnesses requiring urgent treatment, demonstrating the importance of maintaining specialised isolation facilities.
Kaggwa said the treatment unit has continued to improve its systems during successive Ebola outbreaks, resulting in better patient outcomes through intensive supportive care and the use of experimental therapies on compassionate grounds. World Health Organization Representative Dr. Kasonde Mwinga attributed Uganda’s success to years of investment in epidemic preparedness, including training emergency medical teams, establishing treatment units before outbreaks occur and pre-positioning essential medical supplies.
She said those investments contributed to one of the lowest Ebola case fatality rates ever recorded, with Uganda reporting a mortality rate of less than 10 percent. Mwinga urged members of the public to seek medical attention immediately after developing Ebola symptoms, noting that early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve survival.
Ministry of Health Director General of Health Services Dr. Charles Olaro commended frontline health workers, noting that no healthcare worker contracted Ebola while responding to the outbreak. He attributed that achievement to strict infection prevention and control measures but warned against interpreting the discharge of the last patient as the end of the outbreak.
“The response is not over until Uganda completes the required 42-day surveillance period,” he said. Uganda has experienced several Ebola outbreaks over the past two decades, prompting sustained investment in surveillance systems, laboratory capacity and rapid response teams.
Health officials say those investments have strengthened the country’s ability to detect, isolate and manage outbreaks before they spread widely. The Ministry of Health has urged the public to remain alert, continue observing infection prevention measures and immediately report anyone showing symptoms consistent with Ebola as the country works towards being officially declared Ebola-free-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
