KAMPALA, UGANDA — The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced an additional $2 million in funding to support Uganda’s ongoing efforts to combat the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease outbreak. This brings the total WHO contribution to $3 million since the outbreak was confirmed on January 30th.
“To further support Uganda‘s response to the Ebola outbreak, I am releasing an additional $2 million from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies. Our teams are supporting surveillance, laboratories, logistics, infection prevention and control in hospitals, treatment centres and research,” said the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
This latest funding follows an initial $1 million allocation last month, where WHO commended Uganda for its swift response to the emerging outbreak.
“We welcome the prompt declaration of this outbreak, and as a comprehensive response is being established, we are supporting the government and partners to scale up measures to quickly identify cases, isolate and provide care, curb the spread of the virus and protect the population,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Uganda’s robust expertise in responding to public health emergencies will be crucial in ending this outbreak effectively.”
Sudan virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness affecting both humans and primates. It is caused by Orthoebolavirus Sudanese, a member of the same viral genus as the virus responsible for Ebola virus disease. Case fatality rates in past outbreaks have ranged from 41% to 100%. This marks the eighth known outbreak of Sudan virus disease, with five occurring in Uganda and three in Sudan.
As of Monday, Uganda has reported nine confirmed cases of Ebola, including one death. Seven patients are currently undergoing treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala, while one patient is receiving care at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital in the eastern part of the country, according to Dr. Charles Olaro, Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health.
In response to the outbreak, the Ministry of Health has implemented robust measures, including placing 265 contacts under quarantine and conducting rigorous follow-up.
“To contain the spread of the virus, the ministry has intensified surveillance efforts, enhanced public health risk communication, and strengthened community engagement,” Olaro added.
The Ministry of Health has urged the public to remain calm while the government intensifies preventive measures and reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the population from the Ebola outbreak.
“The Ministry of Health reassures the public that the situation is under control and that the country remains safe, with no travel restrictions in place,” Olaro said.
“We urge the public to remain vigilant and report anyone exhibiting Ebola symptoms to the nearest health facility or contact the Ministry of Health,” he added.
Vaccination starts, WHO hails Uganda
Early this month, the WHO donated 2,160 doses of a trial vaccine to Uganda, which is now being administered to eligible individuals.
In a statement released late Monday, the WHO announced that the trial, which commenced with contacts of the initial Ebola case, aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a candidate vaccine specifically designed to combat the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus.
This marks a significant milestone, as it represents the first-ever vaccine trial conducted for the Sudan strain of Ebola.
The WHO highlighted the remarkable speed with which the trial was initiated. Principal investigators from Makerere University and the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), working in collaboration with the WHO and other partners, prepared the trial within an astonishing four days at Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala following the confirmation of the outbreak on January 30th.
“This is a critical achievement toward better pandemic preparedness and saving lives when outbreaks occur,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, as quoted in the statement.
This is possible because of the dedication of Uganda’s health workers, the involvement of local communities, the Ministry of Health of Uganda, Makerere University, and UVRI, as well as research efforts led by the WHO involving hundreds of scientists, he added.
There are no approved treatments or vaccines for the Sudan strain of Ebola, but early initiation of supportive care has been shown to significantly reduce mortality, according to the WHO.
