Uganda activates high-level lab network to contain new Ebola threat — Dr Atwine

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Uganda has activated its highly fortified laboratory and emergency response networks to neutralise the latest Ebola threat.

Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Dr Diana Atwine made the revelation on Monday evening while appearing on a local television talk show to update the country on efforts being undertaken in light of the latest outbreak.

This follows reports of the death of a 59-year-old Congolese national at Kibuli Hospital in Kampala on May 14. By press time, a second recorded case, said to be the female in-law of the deceased, was being treated at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Atwine offered reassurance that the country has the capacity to deal with the latest situation, noting that the health care system can detect and contain the virus within hours of exposure.

She noted that in strict accordance with International Health Regulations, authorities had immediately retrieved and tested blood samples, officially declaring the outbreak the same day, unlike in previous instances when samples would have had to be flown out, and results awaited for days before confirmation.

Within 24 hours, she said, surveillance teams had identified and isolated a second confirmed case, who is currently receiving care at the Mulago isolation unit.

Atwine added that all high-risk contacts linked to both patients have been tracked and isolated early to prevent community transmission. Sixteen additional suspected cases have so far returned negative laboratory results.

She said the country no longer relies on external entities to manage biosecurity threats.

“Before, during the first outbreak in Uganda, we had to ship samples to the CDC (Centres for Disease Control), Atlanta, for testing. Now, we are able to detect any outbreak anywhere in the country within 24 hours,” Atwine said.

Ugandan scientists have already conducted full genomic sequencing on the current Ebola Bundibugyo strain, providing immediate insight into the virus’s profile within 24 hours.

To reduce sample transit times, Atwine said the health ministry has decentralised testing capacity by establishing functional laboratories directly in high-risk zones.

Facilities in Kasese and Arua are now operational, ensuring diagnostic capability is available close to western border districts, she said.

The domestic response comes amid heightened regional concern over an expanding Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has moved from Ituri Province toward the major transit hub of Goma.

With affected areas in the DRC sitting less than 100 kilometres from Arua, Uganda has reinforced surveillance along its western frontier.

Speaking at the same forum, Dr Charles Olaro, Director of Health Services, outlined an intensive deployment stretching from Arua to Kisoro. Local response teams are being coordinated by District Health Officers and Resident District Commissioners to monitor real-time alerts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has also been deployed to strengthen border surveillance and support health teams at entry points.

Specialised Ebola ambulances, personal protective equipment (PPE), and medical supplies have been prepositioned in regional referral hospitals and emergency operation centres in Yumbe, Hoima, and Arua.

Officials say Uganda’s refined clinical systems have significantly improved patient outcomes. 

“In the last outbreak, all the Ebola patients under our care survived,” Atwine noted, pointing to a strengthened clinical workforce built during the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier epidemics.

Financially, Uganda is increasingly taking ownership of its emergency response, moving away from heavy reliance on international donors.

Initial response activities are being funded through internal budget reallocations, while discussions continue with the Ministry of Finance and development partners for additional support.

Health officials, however, warn that infrastructure alone is not enough. Public misinformation and low risk perception remain major challenges.

“We continue educating the public,” Atwine said, noting that denial and rumours persist in both rural border communities and urban centres such as Kampala. “Sustained sensitisation is critical to preventing further spread of the outbreak.”