Ebola: IGAD ministers laud Uganda's fight against outbreak

Dec 02, 2022

IGAD council of ministers also committed to closely liaising and working with Ugandan authorities in arresting the spread of the virus and also providing support when needed.

IGAD Executive secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu addresses ministers in Khartoum.

Steven Denis Matege
Multimedia Producer @New Vision

IGAD | EBOLA | FIGHT 

KHARTOUM - The Government of Uganda, health officials and workers have been lauded for the sacrifices and effort in trying to contain the Ebola outbreak in the country.

The 48th Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Council of Ministers made the commendation on Wednesday, November 30, 2022, after an extensive deliberation on the report about the Ebola situation in Uganda tabled by IGAD executive secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu, according to a communique.

The ministers were in Khartoum, Sudan for a session under the chairpersonship of Ali Al-Sadiq, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan.

Uganda was represented by her ambassador to Sudan, Dr Rashid Yahaya Ssemddu.  

IGAD, which is headquartered in Djibouti city, Djibouti, is an eight-country trade bloc in Africa that includes governments from the Horn of Africa, the Nile Valley and the African Great Lakes. The member countries are Uganda, Kenya, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania and Eritrea. 

 One case in over 12 days

The commendation comes at a time when Uganda is winning the war against Ebola since there have been no new Ebola cases in almost 12 days save a new case on November 28, 2022. 

The positive Ebola case was a 28-week male stillborn to an Ebola survivor mother according to Uganda's health ministry Ebola update.

"The mother is a 23-year-old resident of Kikandwa in Kassanda district who had a stillbirth. She was attended to during delivery by an appropriately donned midwife & is in good condition," the health ministry tweeted.

Ali Al Sadiq, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan remarks during the function. (Courtesy Photos)

Ali Al Sadiq, the acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sudan remarks during the function. (Courtesy Photos)

The ministry said routine Ebola contact tracing and additional case investigations are ongoing.

Commitment to arrest further spread

IGAD council of ministers also committed to closely liaising and working with Ugandan authorities in arresting the spread of the virus and also providing support when needed.

An Ebola outbreak was announced by the Government of Uganda on September 20, 2022. 

According to the health ministry Ebola situation report dated November 27, 2022, there have been 142 cumulative confirmed cases, six cases on admission and 80 cumulative recoveries. 

The report also indicates that 4,473 contacts of cases have been identified across 15 districts, of which 3,636 have completed 21 days of follow-up. Cumulative deaths stand at 56 with one new death.

Climate security

The communique also says the ministers recognised that climate change, conflict and disaster-induced displacement continue to exacerbate the scale of disasters that the region experiences.

They, therefore, agreed to establish a Regional Climate Security Co-ordination Mechanism.

"The Climate Security Co-ordination Mechanism will build the capacity of IGAD member states to anticipate, prevent and mitigate the outset of climate-induced conflict and displacement," reads the communique.

Call for support

The Ministers called upon the International Community and stakeholders to continue providing support to the IGAD support platform for internally displaced people, refugees and host communities in Sudan and South Sudan.

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