President Museveni to address nation on Ebola

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President Yoweri Museveni is today evening expected to address the nation on the Ebola situation in the country.

The address, scheduled for 8:00pm, will be aired live on all television, radio and social media platforms.

The development comes at a time when Museveni has assured the World Health Organisation (WHO) of Uganda's continued commitment and preparedness to contain the current Ebola outbreak.

The Ebola Bundibugyo strain broke out in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) last month. On May 17, the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak an international emergency.

While meeting the WHO director general, Dr Adhanom Ghebreyesus Tedros, at State House Entebbe on Monday, Museveni emphasised the importance of regional cooperation and swift public health interventions to prevent the spread of the disease.

According to the health ministry, Uganda has been managing 19 Ebola cases. Of these, 14 are members of the same family who entered Uganda from the DRC. The five were Ugandans, including four health workers, who interacted with the Congolese patients.

To contain Ebola from the epicentre in DRC, Uganda has sent 160 health workers there, who will be deployed in four teams of 40 personnel each.