Ebola fight: Uganda, DR Congo launch joint laboratories, new cross-border pact
The initiative, unveiled on June 23 in Aru Health Zone in northeastern DRC, marks the beginning of a 90-day emergency response plan agreed upon by the two neighbouring countries following the Ebola outbreak declared in eastern DRC in May.
Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have launched a joint cross-border Ebola response that will see the establishment of shared laboratories, treatment facilities and surveillance systems. (Credit: Ministry of Health)
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Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have launched a joint cross-border Ebola response that will see the establishment of shared laboratories, treatment facilities and surveillance systems to strengthen outbreak detection and prevent the spread of the disease across their porous border.
The initiative, unveiled on June 23 in Aru Health Zone in northeastern DRC, marks the beginning of a 90-day emergency response plan agreed upon by the two neighbouring countries following the Ebola outbreak declared in eastern DRC in May. This also comes just days as Uganda sends a team of 160 medics to DRC to contain the outbreak.
The plan is aimed at building joint laboratory and clinical surge capacity in high-risk border areas, starting with Aru, one of the busiest crossing points between the two countries. Uganda's delegation was led by Director General of Health Services Prof. Charles Olaro, while officials from the DRC Ministry of Health represented the Congolese government during the launch.
"The plan includes shared surveillance and information at points of entry, and joint deployment of rapid response mobile laboratories, Ebola treatment centres and expert teams to work together to stop the outbreak," the ministry said.
According to the ministry, the collaboration is intended to improve early detection of cases, speed up laboratory confirmation and ensure a coordinated response in communities where people regularly cross the border for trade, healthcare and family connections.
Under the memorandum of understanding signed by the health ministers of both countries, Uganda and DRC will cooperate in six key operational areas designed to improve outbreak preparedness and response.
These include: cross-border monitoring, contact tracing and case investigations, deployment of mobile treatment units and mobile laboratories at designated border points, and the collection, analysis and transportation of samples and biological specimens under strict chain-of-custody procedures.
The agreement also provides for the controlled cross-border referral of suspected and confirmed Ebola patients, joint risk communication campaigns, community mobilisation activities and strengthened infection prevention and control measures at points of entry.
The launch of the cross-border initiative follows a series of high-level engagements between Ugandan and Congolese health authorities aimed at strengthening regional preparedness against Ebola and other infectious disease threats.
According to the latest situation report, Uganda currently has only four Ebola patients receiving treatment, while 817 contacts have successfully completed follow-up. Only nine contacts remained under active monitoring as of Monday, June 22, bringing the country closer to ending one of its most challenging outbreaks in recent years.
15 of Uganda's 20 confirmed Ebola cases have been imported from the DRC, which calls for more cross-border nature of the outbreak and the challenge facing health authorities.
In DRC, between 13 and 20 June 2026, confirmed cases increased by 28.2%, rising from 782 to 1,003, while 60 recoveries were recorded. Ituri remains the epicentre of the outbreak, with 916 confirmed cases, compared with 84 in North Kivu and 3 in South Kivu, according to the World Health Organisation.