Uganda, Rwanda test joint readiness for cross-border disease outbreaks
Olaro said the exercise was intended to strengthen Uganda's health security through collaboration with Rwanda, health workers, development partners and security agencies.
According to Prof. Charles Olaro, the director general of health services at the Ministry of Health, the simulation will use different scenarios to assess how the two countries coordinate their responses to potential health threats.
Uganda and Rwanda are set to test their preparedness to detect and respond to public health emergencies at their shared Katuna-Gatuna border in a three-day cross-border simulation exercise.
The exercise, scheduled for November 10-12, 2026, will bring together health workers and other border agencies from the two countries to strengthen coordination, information sharing and referral arrangements during public health emergencies.
According to Prof. Charles Olaro, the director general of health services at the Ministry of Health, the simulation will use different scenarios to assess how the two countries coordinate their responses to potential health threats.
The exercise comes amid growing efforts to strengthen regional health security against outbreaks such as Ebola, particularly at busy border crossings where the movement of people and goods requires countries to work together to prevent and respond to infectious disease threats.
The exercise is designed to strengthen public health protection while supporting safe travel and trade. Travellers and neighbouring communities are encouraged to cooperate with participating teams and follow guidance from officials,” he said in a statement.
A public health emergency detected in one country can have implications for its neighbours, making timely communication, disease surveillance and a coordinated response essential.
The exercise will also examine referral arrangements between the two countries, an important component of managing suspected cases that may require medical attention.
The Ministry of Health has cautioned that members of the public may observe organised drills involving health workers and other border agencies during the exercise, but these should not be mistaken for an actual health emergency
The exercise is also intended to strengthen public health protection while supporting safe travel and trade between the neighbouring countries.
Travellers and communities around the border have been encouraged to cooperate with participating teams and follow guidance from officials.
The Ministry of Health said the exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda's preparedness for public health emergencies. Currently, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the only country experiencing an Ebola outbreak.
According to the WHO, as of November 3, 2026, a total of 10,668 confirmed cases, including 5,198 deaths (crude case fatality ratio: 48.7%), had been reported across 67 health zones in eight provinces, with active transmission ongoing in 51 health zones.